Colors of a Mind
by EmeraldsAndDaggers
Summary: Continues from the end of Things Change. M for violence, language & plot. Relationship & plot-driven; if searching for smut, look elsewhere. Developing relationships are threatened with the return of Slade & Terra. I don't own TT, only the plot. Complete.
1. Green

Beast Boy tore out of the school, the bright sun almost blinding him. With his eyes tearing slightly, he swiftly changed forms. Seconds later, with green cheetah paws padding across the ground, he ran through the city towards the western edge.

The warehouse that Robin's signal had come from looked like a dark spot in the bright city. He changed back into his normal form, approaching the doors cautiously. Beast Boy glanced around, unsure if this was the place or if he was too late.

A crash from within the building had his ears perking up; nope, this wasn't over yet. He burst in through the doors, gasping slightly as he surveyed the damage.

Huge chunks had been torn out of the walls, oil had leaked across the floor, windows were shattered and the floor was split with gashes of concrete. The creature stood among the carnage, his mechanical eyes focusing on the two girls that flew above him.

Starfire's eyes gleamed green as she threw bolts of fire at it, noises of anger escaping as it continued to dodge her missiles. Raven floated even higher, bringing pieces of the ceiling down upon its hapless head. It glared up at the girls, picking up a steel beam and throwing it like a javelin. It caught Starfire in the stomach, sending her and the beam into the wall with a screech.

"Beast Boy!"

Robin's yell had him turning, seeing the Boy Wonder picking himself up off the ground with effort. He had apparently been thrown just moments before Beast Boy had shown up. Glancing about for the other member of the team, the changeling gasped to see Cyborg pulling himself out of a shattered window.

Robin ran over to him, "Come on, Raven needs help."

The creature was throwing pieces of the floor at Raven now. She was dodging them, but only barely. Cyborg fell with a clatter next to them.

"That thing turns into whatever it's touching. Let's see if we can't make it turn into something a little more vulnerable." He grinned at the green teen.

Beast Boy grinned back, showing a little fang. He leapt into the air, morphing into an armadillo as he did. Cyborg caught him, throwing the animal with deadly accuracy. Mid-flight, Beast Boy heard Raven cry out. One of the concrete pieces must have hit her. He flinched, but there wasn't anything he could do for her now.

The creature hadn't been expected an armadillo, but it was only through quick movement that kept it from dislodging Beast Boy as soon as he landed. He elongated and thinned out, a giant boa constrictor wrapping around and around the creature. He could feel the creature trying to keep from changing, but he just tightened his grip around it.

Eventually the thing relented, it's skin rippling as it grew scales. A circle of dark power appeared beneath the two scaled creature, lifting them up. The power grew upwards, beginning to surround them.

"Get out of there." A voice growled.

Beast Boy turned his reptilian head, seeing the dark empath glowing behind him. Bruises were already forming on her face and her cloak was torn. He nodded, loosening his grip and morphing into a bird. He made his way clear, or so he thought.

A hand caught him just as he took off. Beast Boy squawked and jerked his leg out of the thing's grip. It hit him again, spinning him out of control. He managed to revert back into his own form just before he hit the wall. Sliding down it, he heard his friends call out his name, just before he blacked out.

* * *

Raven saw Beast Boy hit the wall, but gritted her teeth and ignored it. She couldn't afford to lose her concentration. She had the creature encased in a dome of her power, but she was losing energy quickly. Raven had already lost her grip on her levitation and landed on the ground, she couldn't keep him caught forever.

It slammed against her power, sending ripples of energy across the surface. She flinched, feeling the blow like a hammer across her forehead.

"Someone better call the authorities. Now." She managed to spit out, a sheen of sweat breaking out on her grey skin. She heard someone on their communicator, contacting someone who could hold this creature better. She poured more and more power into the shield, her limbs starting to shake.

Robin stood behind her, she could sense him.

"You think you can hold it?" He asked quietly.

She swallowed hard, her vision darkening at the edges, "I have to." She didn't look away from the creature, "How's Beast Boy?"

"Unconscious."

Raven nodded, feeling faint.

"They'll be here within moments." Cyborg's voice came on from behind her.

"Raven will be all right, won't she?" Starfire asked from further back. She must have been tending to Beast Boy.

Ignoring the question, Raven kept her focus on the creature. They had spent days trailing this thing, and it was too dangerous to try to catch a second time. Raven swayed a little, she felt Cyborg helping her to stand straight. A shudder ran through her and she began to feel nauseas.

"I can hear them. They've just pulled up to the door." Starfire said, concern lacing her voice.

"Just a few more seconds, Raven." Robin said kindly.

She didn't bother to nod or make any sign that she heard him. It was now only Cyborg that was holding her up.

The doors sprang open and a bunch of police came in, holding steel beams wrapped in some sort of fabric. They were moving quickly, but Raven wasn't sure if it was going to be quick enough. Her eyes began to close, but she forced them open once more, running on pure determination. The men had two sides of the cage up already.

Her shield flickered and the creature reached out to swipe at one of the policemen. Raven snapped it back up, and she felt a trickle of blood seep out of her nose and ears. There was a top and a bottom of the cage on now. Only two more sides to go.

It flickered once more, but she brought it up again. Blood dripped onto her leotard and then onto the floor.

"Come on, Rae…" Cyborg said quietly.

One more side to go. Just as they were about to lock the final one in, Raven's shield dropped one final time. There was no way she could get it back up. The creature's hand shot out, catching her across the jaw. There were screams and the sounds of Cyborg's cannon and Starfire's bolts, but then there was only darkness.

* * *

Raven groaned, her head was pounding painfully. She didn't open her eyes yet. Instead she took stock of her injuries. Usually her magiks would have healed them already, but she could feel her reserves of strength just barely beginning to renew themselves. It would take concentration to heal herself, and then she would be spent once more.

Aside from her head, her entire body ached. The concrete that she had been unable to block had caught her mostly on her left side and sent her into the wall. One rib was cracked, but the rest was just bumps and bruises. Then there was the weakness.

She had rarely allowed herself to use so much power that she would run out for a while. It had always seemed too dangerous. She still agreed with that idea, but there had been no alternative. Nothing else could have held the creature for as long as she did. She gasped, her eyes flying open.

She hadn't held it long enough, though. She knew her shield had failed the moment she blacked out. She sat up, ignoring the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm her.

Raven was in the med room in Titans Tower, lying on one of the five beds. She looked around, breathing a sigh of relief. It was completely dark out; hours must have passed since their encounter with the creature. If she was back here, that meant that everyone was okay. A noise from her left had her turning.

Almost everyone was okay.

Beast Boy lay on one of the other cots, eyes closed. He was breathing, so she wasn't too concerned. Raven was about to lay back and try to heal herself when something on the edge of her awareness caught her attention.

Sensing emotions like she did, Raven could tell that Beast Boy's were a mess right now. Anger, guilt, fear and sorrow were all foremost in his mind. What the emotions were didn't bother her so much, as what they were doing.

She sat up straighter, holding her side and looked at the changeling. The emotions she had sensed had been strong at first, but now she could feel them fading. As if Beast Boy's mind was starting to shut down.

With a muffled curse Raven stood, muttering to herself. "Idiots. Letting him sleep with a concussion."

She staggered over to his bed, placing her hand on his head. She ignoring how much she was shaking and pushed back the little voice that told her this was a bad idea after everything else she had done today.

Gently, Raven probed Beast Boy's mind, finding the edge of the darkness that was started to consume him. Luckily she had noticed this quickly, otherwise there might have been permanent damage. She tried not to pay too much attention to Beast Boy's feelings, but some of them were unavoidable.

Terra was foremost in his thoughts now. The negative thoughts she had sensed earlier were all focused around her. Raven felt her own little stab of anger, but decided it could wait for another time.

For some reason, Slade was also a large part of Beast Boy's anger. Raven was so startled to see him in Beast Boy's mind that she gasped, almost losing her concentration entirely. Despite beating him multiple times, she harbored a deep hatred and a small fear of Slade, especially after the incident with Trigon.

With care, Raven burned away all the darkness creeping up on Beast Boy's mind. As the last bit faded, she felt him wake up. She left his mind gently, her consciousness returning to her own beaten body.

Green eyes found hers, "Raven? What's going on?" He asked.

She tried to turn back to her own bed, but found her body wasn't responding. She crumpled to the ground, feeling a little shame that she couldn't even stand. Maybe she had pushed her self a little too far again.

"Raven?" Beast Boy said, his eyes wide with worry. "Are you okay? What can I do?"

She tried to answer him, tell him that it was natural and all she needed was sleep, but her mouth didn't move at all. She felt her eyes roll up in the back of her head and was annoyed that this was happening again today. Beast Boy's worried voice chased after her, into unconsciousness.


	2. Moss

"Beast Boy, you have to eat."

"Please, friend. I will cook whatever you might desire. Just eat something."

"B, if you don't eat soon, I'm going to throw out every single tofu burger and glass of soy milk in the tower and make sure you starve!"

Ignoring them, Beast Boy continued to sit at Raven's bedside. With a comic book in one hand and a video game in the other, he didn't lack for entertainment. However, he still found it difficult to take enjoyment in two of his favorite things.

Raven had been hovering in one of her healing trances for three days now. After he had woken up, Beast Boy had to watch her collapse and go into some sort of fit. The others had tried to convince him that she was fine, that it was natural when she used too much power, but he couldn't believe them. Not until she woke up.

He knew that she had done something for him. He just didn't know what it was. All he could remember was everything going black after he hit the wall. Then waking up in the infirmary, feeling better than he did before. And if Raven had hurt herself helping him…well, he couldn't stand to think about that.

Robin sighed, leaning against the door frame, "She'll be all right, Beast Boy. Now please, you have to eat something."

Starfire, her eyes huge and worried, nodded fervently from beside him, while Cyborg just glared.

"I'll eat later." The changeling muttered, trying to put his attention back on his comic book.

"Come on, B-" Cyborg began.

Robin snapped, "This is ridiculous, we can't have two team members out of commission. You know someone else is going to strike-"

"Please friends, stop fighting, this is not what friends should be doing. We should be instead enjoying a poem of hope from my home-"

"I'm not leaving until she wakes up! All right? And you guys can just shut it until then because I"-

"You are all so loud!"

The room fell silent as Raven sat up, glaring at all of them in turn. "How am I supposed to get better when you all come in here and start shouting?"

Beast Boy snapped his mouth shut from where it had been hanging. "You're awake!" He cried, lunging halfway across the bed to hug her.

"Yes. But not fully healed. So…" She trailed off, awkwardly patting his shoulder.

Letting go quickly, Beast Boy hung back as the others crowded around the bed. The past three days had been torturous. On top of seeing one of his friends hurt and being helpless to fix anything, he also had everything with Terra and Slade that had happened before. The sudden wave of happiness when Raven had woken up was drowning out everything else.

"What was so important," Robin began, "that you used up the rest of your power before you had healed?"

"It was pretty foolish if you ask me." Cyborg said gently. "You were completely wiped after the fight. Then you go and do more?"

Raven blushed slightly but glared at them. "I wouldn't have had to do anything, if you all hadn't let Beast Boy go to sleep with a concussion!"

The boys both seemed chastised, but Starfire was still confused. Beast Boy filled in for her, he had a lot of experience with injuries. "It means that there was something wrong with my brain, Star. Had Raven not helped out, I probably wouldn't have woken up. Ever."

Understanding, Starfire moved in to hug Raven tightly, saying, "You have saved Beast Boy and I am-"

The rest of her thanks was cut off by Raven's hiss of pain. Star let go of her immediately and Raven pressed her hand to her side.

"What's wrong?" Cyborg asked, stepping forward.

Pulling her hood up with her other hand, Raven quietly replied, "Nothing."

Cyborg and Starfire both seemed ready to argue, but Robin cut them both off. "Well if you're all right, you could probably head back to your own room. You can finish recuperating. The city has been quiet."

She nodded, standing up with an effort. While her eyes were downcast, Beast Boy glared at Robin helplessly. She was still in a lot of pain and someone needed to make sure she got to her room all right. But none of them could say anything that would imply she was in anything less than perfect health or she would ignore them.

Robin met Beast Boy's eyes and added, "Why don't you take Beast Boy with you? He hasn't slept for three days and he won't listen to any of us. Just walk him as far as your room to make sure he doesn't fall over in the halls."

Glancing up suspiciously, Raven looked at the boy wonder and then nodded. Beast Boy suppressed his relief that Robin was so quick thinking. He nearly bounced out the door, but then remembered he was supposed to be near exhaustion.

Dragging his feet down the halls, he forced Raven to walk slower so as not to lose him. Obligingly, she slowed her pace, the hallways quiet as they took the long walk back to her room.

"You're healed now, you know. You can go to sleep without worrying." She said suddenly.

Her hood was still up, so he couldn't see her face. He glanced over anyway, "I know."

"Then why haven't you been sleeping?" She asked as they took a turn.

He hesitated, unsure of her reaction. Then he remembered that she didn't have any powers right now and couldn't throw him out a window. "I was worried about you. I didn't realize that it was because you had used up your powers that you were unconscious. I just woke up and then suddenly you were on the ground." Unknowingly, his voice got quieter. "Your eyes were open but you didn't say anything. Then you sort of…shuddered and your eyes rolled back in your head and you went limp. I didn't know what to do or who to get…it was…I mean, I was…"

He trailed off, not knowing what to say. To be honest, he had been panicking that she was dead. It was only after Cyborg had come down to the infirmary and told him that she was still alive that Beast Boy had been able to calm down. Cyborg had handed him a tissue and left the room. Beast Boy hadn't realized he had been crying.

"I'm sorry." Raven said when it was clear Beast Boy wasn't going to continue. "I tried to explain it to you, but it was a little late."

They took a few more slow steps and Beast Boy decided he could ask a question. "How did you know? That I was starting to go all veggie-like?"

She sounded distracted, "Your thoughts were going grey."

"Huh?"

Raven paused, looking at him in confusion for a moment. Then she recalled what she had said and seemed a little flustered. "You…When I can see people's emotions, they tend to have specific colors." Beast Boy just stared at her, so she sighed, "Your thoughts tend to be some shade of green. Vibrant green when you're happy, Blue-green when you're sad. A yellowy-green when you're focused or determined. Emerald when you were with…So when they started to lose your color, I realized something was wrong."

"What colors are the others?" Beast Boy asked, amazed. He hadn't missed her unfinished sentence, but he guessed who Raven was going to say.

"Starfire is yellows usually. Sometimes pink or orange. Always bright enough to give me a headache if I concentrate on them. Robin is made up of reds. Cyborg is silver and blue." She replied detachedly.

"What color are you?" He smiled, trying to make it seem like he was a little tired.

Raven looked away and started walking again.

"Come on, tell me? Please?" He begged, catching up with a stumble.

"Black."

"Always?" He asked. He hadn't even been sure that she would tell him. Perhaps they were becoming better friends.

"Always."

They walked in silence some more. Beast Boy hadn't realized how long of a trip it was to Raven's room. She had been fine at first, but seemed to be limping a little now. He frowned, wanting to help but still worried that she wouldn't like it. Well, more like knowing she wouldn't like it. While he was trying to figure out a way to help without making it obvious, she surprised him with a question.

"Why have you been thinking about Slade?"

Beast Boy stopped in his tracks, shock all over his face. "How- how did you know that?"

She stopped as well, leaning unobtrusively on the wall behind her. "When I was helping you, his image kind of jumped out at me."

"I…I guess I was just having a nightmare about old times." He hedged.

Raven almost smiled. "You're pale green now. Lying."

He didn't smile back as Slade's words came rushing back to him. _Maybe she doesn't want to remember you._ "It's none of your business." He snapped before he couldn't stop himself.

Raven looked hurt, but it was only for a moment. Her expressionless mask fell into place and Beast Boy could almost feel the wall go up between them.

"Raven…I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." It was already too late.

"I think I can find my room on my own. And tell Robin that his concern is misplaced. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself, by myself. I don't need someone to walk me there." Beast Boy tried to apologize again but she spoke over him, "Good night, Beast Boy."

She moved as quickly as she could down the hallway. Beast Boy watched her wince at every step, unable to help her any more. He followed her, trying to be quiet.

"Go away, Beast Boy." She said, without ever looking back.

"No."

She stopped, turning in the hall. "No?"

He gulped at the anger on her face, "It's not like you could hurt me like you usually do. I need to make sure you get into your room safe, and I'm going to do that. Whether you like it or not." He had no idea where this courage was coming from, but he hoped it would last him a little longer.

She wanted to argue. It was clear. But as she took in a breath to yell at him, or possibly threaten to drown, dismember or dice him up, she paled, her hand going to her side once more.

Crumpling slightly, she didn't meet his eyes as he moved towards her. She tried to step away from him, but whatever was causing her limp made that impossible. Her leg gave out and Beast Boy was there before she fell, supporting her as gently as he could.

There were no words exchanged as they hobbled down the hall together. Raven remained tense the entire time, her face drawn in pain. Beast Boy tried not to hurt her more than she was already, but he felt how every step caused her more and more torment. After an eternity it seemed, they arrived at her door. It slid back smoothly. They both stared inside her room, realized exactly how far away her bed was from her door.

Before she could argue, Beast Boy helped her over to her bed. She sat down gingerly, not meeting his eyes. He stood there awkwardly for a minute.

"Is there anything I can get you?" He asked. His voice seemed oddly loud.

Raven shook her head.

Not believing her, he looked around while trying not to look nosy. A familiar mirror caught his eye from its position on a desk and he crossed over to it, being careful not to look directly at it. He picked it up and saw a book that lay open nearby, a bookmark hastily thrown between the pages. He grabbed that as well, seeing that it was some sort of fantasy novel she must have been reading earlier. Bringing both of these items over to her nightstand, he was surprised to see her looking at him.

"Here." He said, putting them down gently. He backed up, tripping on his own feet. "If you need anything else…I'm sure I could…or Star. Tea, you know?" He was babbling and not enjoying it.

Sighing in annoyance, he turned, finding he was already at the door. He gratefully slipped through it, into the non-judgmental air of the hallway.

He risked a glance back. Raven had one hand on her side and the other on the cover of the book, an unfamiliar expression on her face. She looked up at him, and just as the doors slid shut, Beast Boy could have sworn her saw her smile.


	3. Viridian

Raven had underestimated how badly hurt she really was. It wasn't just one rib that was hurt, it was three, and one of them was broken. There was something wrong with her left leg, as well. Either a small break or a fracture. Whatever it was, it hurt. Her powers weren't returning nearly as quickly as they should.

However, her more pressing issue was that she was trying to get dressed. The zipper of her leotard had never seemed like the impossible obstacle as it did now. Raven had managed to zip it up about halfway, but couldn't reach it now without a sharp pain causing her to go dizzy.

It had been twenty minutes with this struggle. She didn't even have the tiny amount of power that could zip it up for her. Hating how helpless she felt, Raven went to the door, focused on finding Starfire to help her. The door slid back with a hush.

"Oh. Hi." Beast Boy stood right outside her door, his hand raised to knock.

Raven's hand went to the top of her costume, making sure it wouldn't fall. "Hello."

"I was just coming to see if you wanted some breakfast." He said, finally lowering his hand.

"No. Thank you." She responded. Her stomach was still queasy from the pain she had caused herself from trying to zip up her costume.

He ruffled his hair, "Okay." He stood there for a moment.

"Is Starfire upstairs?" Raven asked.

"No. Her, Robin and Cyborg went out to get something to eat." He said, tilting his head. "Why?"

Raven inwardly cursed, "Nothing. Just ask her to come to my room when she gets home." She stepped back into the darkness of her room, but Beast Boy followed, putting his hand on the door to keep it from closing.

"What do you need?" He asked. "I can get you whatever you want."

"I'll wait for Star." Raven responded. She would have turned her back on him to make it clear he needed to leave, but in her current situation, it wouldn't have the same effect.

"Come on, Raven. They could be gone for a while. Just tell me what you need." He said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I'm sure I can handle it, whatever it is."

She sighed. Despite her faint nausea, she was actually very hungry and didn't want to wait the hours it could take the others to get home. "Fine." She turned so she wouldn't have to look at him while she explained. "Can you finish zipping me up, please?"

There was silence from behind her and Raven suppressed the urge to hide away from him. She knew that the back of her bra was exposed, along with a large amount of skin, but there was nothing she could do to help it.

The silence had lasted to an awkward amount before Beast Boy suddenly cleared his throat. "Y-yeah. I can do that. No problem."

Raven tried not to jump when Beast Boy spoke from behind her. He was suddenly much closer. How could someone so clumsy move so quietly?

"I guess I understand why you wanted Star." He said softly.

Raven made a noncommittal noise, then added, "I suppose you know that once my powers return, I'll be able to send you into whatever dimension I'd like if you mention this to anyone, right?"

She flinched slightly as Beast Boy's hand touched her. It was only the slightest pressure as he zipped up the costume, the hum of the zipper drowned out as he spoke again.

"So you still don't have your powers yet?"

"No. It takes longer if I have injuries." Her voice had gone oddly quiet. Beast Boy finished zipping her up and she turned, surprised to see him so close to her. He met her eyes; since when had he grown to her height?

"Thank you." She said in the oppressive silence. Stepping back, she gathered up her cloak and put it on with only the slightest flinch.

"How about some breakfast now?" Beast Boy suggested, grinning a little too widely.

Raven put up her hood with a nod. "All right." She passed by him on her way out, hoping her blush wouldn't be noticed.

Following her, Beast Boy chattered incessantly. Used to it, she drowned him out a little, her mind focused on a cup of tea that she desperately needed.

"Hello? Raven? Are you even listening?" He was suddenly in front of her, hands on his hips.

"No. Sorry. What?" Her voice sounded a little more gravely than usual.

He frowned, "I was trying to say thank you. For helping me."

"Oh." She walked past him, "That's not necessary."

"Yeah, it is." He caught up to her, obviously completely healed and awake. "You saved me,

at risk to yourself. That deserves thanks."

"How is it different from every day we go out on the streets and fight someone? We're always helping one another, taking hits that should have been meant for someone else, lifting each other out of danger. It's part of being on a team." She chastised herself for talking so much. She should be resting and instead she was chatting.

"I guess." He admitted. "But this was different. This wasn't on the streets. This wasn't some bad dude, it was my mind."

"Either way, you don't have to thank me."

"I'm going to anyway." He said, smiling.

She hid her own smile, his were a little infectious if she wasn't careful, "I'll just keep ignoring you."

"That's all right." They had reached the door of the main room and he allowed her to step in first. She did, heading straight to her kettle. Beast Boy suddenly appeared in front of her and she started, stopping in confusion.

"I can make it." He offered.

"Thanks, but I'll do it. I like it a certain way." Raven said; her process of making the tea was very particular.

"I know." He reached up, pulling the correct tea down, along with her favorite mug from the cabinet. Pouring water into the kettle, he set it on the stove and turned it on. "You think I've lived with you for this long and not noticed how you made it? It's like, the only thing you ever eat, aside from pizza occasionally."

"Still…" She watched as the kettle began to boil.

Beast Boy lifted it and poured it into the mug. He let it sit for a moment and then dumped out the water. She was astonished. He had seen her doing that?

"I wasn't sure at first why you did that." He said suddenly. "But it's to warm the mug up, so the tea doesn't cool too fast, right?"

Raven nodded.

Happy with being right, he placed the tea bag in the warmed mug, filling it up again. He let it sit for the correct amount of time, before pulling out the tea bag, adding just the tiniest pinch of cinnamon and then handing the mug to her, exactly as she would have made it.

"Thank you." She said, taking the mug and sitting on the couch. Beast Boy just nodded and continued to move around the kitchen, making his own breakfast. It was closer to lunch time, but she had noticed that whenever he could, Beast Boy chose breakfast foods instead.

Tofu eggs, tofu bacon, and soy milk were quickly prepared, and he came and sat next to her on the couch. They sat quietly for a bit, enjoying their breakfasts.

Raven held the mug in both of her hands, feeling it warm her through. She knew now exactly how long to wait before taking that first sip. It would still be a little to hot to drink comfortably, but it felt nice as it burned slightly. Taking that sip now, she sighed, and closed her eyes. It was perfect.

Relaxed now, the pain in her body fading beneath the warmth and satisfaction of the tea, Raven allowed her mind to wander to last night. Questions that needed answers were pushing at her mind, but she didn't want to upset Beast Boy by asking them.

That brought her up; she didn't want to upset Beast Boy? Since when? Although she didn't go out of her way to hurt him, when he was in her way, or bothering her, she would remove him in creative ways. Now she was suddenly concerned? What was happening?

Still, some things needed answers, no matter how she was feeling.

"Beast Boy?" She said quietly.

He swallowed his inhuman mouthful. "Yeah?"

"What happened to you? Before the shifting creature?"

He flushed slightly, looking back at his plate. "I don't want to talk about it."

"If you saw Slade, we need to-"

"It wasn't him." He interrupted. "It was…just one of his robots."

She figured now would be a good a time as any, "And Terra?"

"She…it wasn't her. I was wrong."

The pale green aura around him grew and grew. So it had been Terra, but she had what? Lied to Beast Boy? Honestly didn't remember her past?

"I'm sorry. I know how much you wanted it to be her." Raven said suddenly, not really knowing why she said it.

"Her statue was gone. I…I thought…"

Awkwardly, she put her hand on his arm, "I know."

"You never liked her." He spoke, a little harshly.

Raven pulled her hand away. "I didn't trust her."

"Why?" Despite the other times he had asked, this wasn't an accusatory tone- it was honestly questioning.

She sighed, looking past him at nothing. "I was jealous of Terra."

"For what?" He was shocked.

"For mastering her powers so easily. For doing everything right. For being funny and outgoing. For getting along so well with, well, everyone." She tried to remain detached, but she could feel herself getting a little worked up.

"Your powers are stronger than hers." Beast Boy countered, moving so she met his eyes.

Raven shifted, a little uncomfortable, "Perhaps. But mine require daily meditation, and when they get out of control…a few stones are nothing compared to what I could do. What I'm capable of doing. I guess that's why I didn't like her…"

"Why?"

Raven stood, going to the sink to rinse out her mug, "Because I was born half evil. There's a part of me that will always frighten me; that I can never accept and I have to fight against every day of my life in order to do what we do. Terra never had that. She was born completely capable of being good, but she didn't. She turned against us and nearly destroyed the world. Although I could forgive her now, I hated her, then."

"You're more than you give yourself credit for. And you aren't as much of an outcast as you think." Beast Boy said quietly. "I think it makes you better- fighting to be good. Terra didn't have to try to be good and she failed at it anyway."

Raven felt uncomfortable, so she didn't speak. She stared into the sink, unsure of what to do.

"You know, I sometimes…well, I wish that things had been a little different."

Raven looked up, finding Beast Boy staring at her. "How so?"

He flushed, "Well, that I hadn't spent so much time with her. Ever. That instead, I-"

"Beast Boy!"

A tiny Robin voice spoke from his waist. Beast Boy grabbed it, flipping it open. Raven walked over, trying to hear what was going on.

"It's the Puppet King- we need you down here now!"

"I'm on my way. Where are you?" Beast Boy said, standing up and turning to the door.

"The Mall. Hurry!"

"Raven and I will be-" He began. Raven pulled up her hood, preparing herself to run.

"Not Raven."

Beast Boy stopped, "Why not?"

"She's not healed yet. She can't even fight physically, let alone with her powers. She'd just be in the way. Now hurry!"

Of course. It was obvious that Robin was right. She could barely stand, let alone run and fight. It made perfect sense.

But it still felt horrible.

Beast Boy turned to her, "Raven…I-"

"I understand. He's right. You should go." She kept her voice calm.

He hesitated a moment more, before she looked at him.

"They need you. You have to leave."

Beast Boy nodded, but kept glancing back as he ran to the door. She kept calm until she heard the front door slam closed. Only then did she allow herself to sag a little. It was difficult, being on a team and not being able to participate. Robin was completely right, and she knew that none of them resented her for not being able to fight. But still…

It was quiet now. Normally she would have enjoyed the silence, taking the time to read or meditate. But knowing her friends were out there, and needing her…she couldn't sit still. Something…there had to be something she could be doing.

"Oh." She thought suddenly. The idea was both heartening and for some odd reason, depressing, but it was better than doing nothing. She walked over to the computer that was installed, typing in her usually unused login information.

The screen came up, listing a whole bunch of sources she was certain that the public couldn't access so easily. Murakami's school records were one of them.

She typed in "Terra", not really expecting it to be so easy.

In fact, it was.

Although there were several Terra's, and more than one last name of Monterras, Raven scrolled through the names carefully, examining the pictures that came with them.

There she was. Terra Markov. Looking the same as she ever did.

A bit of bile rose up in Raven's throat at the sight of her. So young, blonde, happy and carefree. As if she really couldn't remember what she had done.

Despite how Terra had saved them in the end, Raven found it hard to separate her from the hatred she had felt when Terra had drowned her in the mud. Even now, she would sometimes wake in the night, choking and gasping for air.

Raven thought back to what she had seen in Beast Boy's mind…Terra and the school, the changing creature, her own face, along with her friends, Slade. Slade…where had he been? Raven looked harder at the scene in her mind, searching from some distinctive marker as to where he was. Mirrors- lots of mirrors. A beauty parlor? She sighed, why would Beast Boy ever go to a beauty parlor? She racked her brain…Thoughts of Terra and Slade and Beast Boy all together, plus mirrors.

She opened her eyes, smiling. Of course. The amusement park that had been shut down. Terra and Beast Boy had gone there, so he had returned when he thought he had found her. That made sense.

Making her way to her room, she went straight to the back of her closet, to her less used clothes. She pulled out a pair of grey skinny jeans, a black tank top and hoodie, and black boots. She stripped out of her leotard, and pulled on her "normal" clothes.

She went to the mirror, deciding to leave her hair down and pulled the hood up. Only a bit of her grey skin showed, and that was easy enough to hide by shoving her hands in her pockets.

Discreetly clothed, she made her way down to the garage, taking the elevator. She was still in pain, but this was better than doing nothing. Raven looked over her options for transportation. The T-Sub: hardly appropriate. Robin's motorcycle: she was itching to ride it, but maybe not in her current state. The others had taken the T-Car. That left her with the plane, a simple bicycle, or an old black, unreliable DeSoto.

She sighed, "Well. I guess it's the DeSoto."

She grabbed the keys and climbed in. Cyborg had bought it years ago and wanted to restore it, but then he had gotten sidetracked with all the T-vehicles and never got around to it. Raven had always secretly admired the car. It was faded and loud, but there was something about it that she really liked. She turned the key, and amazingly, the engine roared to life. A little louder than it should be, but it was working.

With that, she set out down the road. The amusement park wasn't very far away, so she arrived within fifteen minutes. She parked by the gates, glad it was still light out. It was only about three or so, so that left her quite a bit of time to look around before it got dark. Just in case, she grabbed a flashlight and put it in her pocket, along with the keys and her communicator. She slid between the chained gates, holding her breath and glad she was so thin.

It took her a while to find the fun house. Nothing about this place looked fun; it was all dilapidated and forgotten. Had it been any other time, she would have quite enjoyed it. But knowing what Beast Boy had seen here, that put a damper on her mood.

Her footsteps were loud in the park, echoing against old stalls and shops. Rides that were hardly stable to begin with now lay in disrepair, rusted all the way through at some points. She pushed her hood back, sliding her hands into her pockets. No one was around to see her odd hair, or discolored skin. Raven moved a little quicker, something in the air making her feel like she shouldn't be here. She was trespassing, but it was more than that.

Finally, she found the fun house. She moved to the mirror room, trying to prepare herself for what she would see. She still gasped slightly as she moved into the room.

It was decimated. Every mirror was shattered, and she could see huge chunks missing out of the walls where the battle had obviously waged. Glass and debris littered the ground, crunching beneath her boots with every step.

One thing Raven didn't see; Slade's robot. She didn't doubt Beast Boy for a moment. Not only did she trust him, but the room was far too destroyed for him to have done it all by himself. She bent down, seeing a scrap of orange amidst the glass- Slade's outfit.

So who had come and picked up the pieces? And why? Who else would have known what had happened here?

She walked towards the DeSoto quickly, feeling like she was being watched. She took several wrong turns before she realized that she was completely lost and it was getting darker.

"Dammit…" She muttered, looking around.

A beep made her jump and gasp. Her heart pounding, she pulled out the communicator and saw that it was Cyborg calling. Trying to regain her stoic face, she took a deep breath before answering it.

"Hello."

"Raven! Where are you? We got back and you and the car were gone! Are you okay?" He was obviously worried and Raven felt a little guilty.

"I'm fine."

"What are you doing?" She could hear Beast Boy in the background, "Is she okay?"

Cyborg looked over his shoulder, "She's fine, B." He turned back to the communicator, "Well?"

"I needed to look at something." She said shortly. "I'm going to pick up some medicine and then head back to the Tower."

"One of us could come and meet you if you need it." He offered, gently but not pityingly.

"I'll be all right. Thanks. See you in a bit."

"Okay. Be safe, Rae."

"I will." She closed the communicator, looking at the front of it. She was a little too far south of the entrance. It should be easier to find her way now that she remembered she had a GPS device with her. She walked quickly, realizing that the sun was already setting. Tugging her hood up, she looked at the communicator again, 5:47. No wonder the others had been worried.

The gate offered her a little difficulty leaving, ripping her sweatshirt's sleeve a bit. Raven sighed, examining the tear. She actually liked this hoodie.

"Hey, there."

Raven glanced up, sliding her hand into her pocket to where the keys were. She gripped them tightly, examining the man in front of her.

He was…big. Not fat, but big. He was tall and wide and muscular and…big. There was no other way around it. With blonde hair and blue eyes, he looked like prime German material.

"Hi." She tried to step around him, but he moved in front of her.

"What're you doing?" He smiled, a little coldly.

"Leaving." Raven replied.

He stepped a little nearer, "Oh, come on. Don't you want to stay?"

If only she had her powers! He would be hanging from a streetlight before he knew what had happened to him. There was only a tiny bit there, waiting for her to meditate so it could heal her. She reached into that tiny dip of power, holding it firmly.

"I'm Rick." He held out his hand.

Raven just looked at him, barely sparing a glance for his hand. She continued to try and walk away, but once again, he blocked her.

"What's your name?" He pressed, his bulk oppressive as he moved even closer. She took an involuntary step back.

"My boyfriend is waiting for me in the car. I should go." She said, trying to remain calm. In her current state she was weak, defenseless and most inconveniently, alone. In other words, exactly Rick's type.

He leered, "You mean that old DeSoto? There's no one there."

"He must have stepped out for a minute. I'm sure he'll be back any second."

Rick laughed, "Until then…" He backed Raven up more, until her back hit the gate. Rick didn't waste any time, putting both of his arms on the chains, trapping her between them. Raven swallowed hard; this was far from good.

"Come on, beautiful…" He said in what he probably thought was a soothing voice. It ended up being disgusting.

Raven hung her head, hiding her face. She only had one shot, so she had to make it good. She focused on her power, trying to ignore the hand that was trailing up her arm and over her collarbone. The other hand was at her waist, holding her tightly, she could feel his breath on her skin, hot and foul and getting closer. Oh god, was that his mouth on her neck?- Raven shuddered, she had to move fast!

Whipping her head up, Rick looked her in the eyes- all four of them, gleaming red. She let out a snarl and he tripped backwards, releasing her. Wasting no time, she took off running towards the car, the keys in her hand already.

A big, ugly hand grabbed her arm, pulling her back, "Not so fast, you little freak!"

Raven spun as Rick pulled, building her momentum. Using it, she slammed her knee into his groin, watching with satisfaction as he fell to the ground with an oddly high-pitched squeal, cupping himself.

She didn't have a quippy remark or funny one-liner. She just ran, shoving the key into the lock and getting inside as soon as possible. She turned the key in the ignition, nearly crying when the engine turned over once, twice, three times- and then it started! Gasping in relief, she shoved the car into gear, taking off down the road. In her rearview mirror she could see Rick still on the ground. She didn't slow down until she got to Titan's Tower.

Pulling into the garage, she made sure it was closed before she turned off the engine, leaning over the steering wheel. She had never felt so helpless before. Even when she fought against Trigon, she had some sort of power. Raven never felt so useless and…normal, before. And she never wanted to feel that way again.

Her arm throbbed gently- the asshole probably gave her a bruise on top of everything else. She pulled a tissue out of the glove box and wiped at her neck. There was nothing there to show he had touched her, but the action helped. Finally, she slid out of the car, hanging the keys up once more and putting the flashlight back where she had gotten it.

Moving slowly up the stairs, Raven didn't want to see her friends, but knew she had to let them know she was back. After that, she could hide in her room and change out of these clothes. After an eternity, she arrived at the main room. She took a breath, and stepped through the doors. Cyborg was in the kitchen, obviously making some intensely carnivorous meal. Starfire was floating next to him, offering help and her own ingredients. Oddly, Robin wasn't in front of the tv; instead, he was sitting on the counter by the other two, his eyes flicking to Star every few minutes..

"Look who's home!" Cyborg said with a smile. She could tell he was honestly relieved she was all right. If this was how worried he got when she had only been out for a long time, imagine how he would react if he found out what had actually happened. Not that he would ever find out. Or anyone else, for that matter.

"Sorry I worried you." She said in her deadpan.

"We are just overjoyed to see you about and up!" Starfire flew over, "And your clothes are most…unlike you. I like them." She smiled widely, yellow coming off of her in waves.

"I didn't want to be recognized." Raven said, blushing a little. She had forgotten her "normal" clothes.

"Did you get what medicine you needed?" Robin asked from his seat on the counter. He only glanced at her, then back at Starfire.

Raven had forgotten about that. "No. They were out of what I needed. It's all right."

"Well, you should get some sleep. We want you back in fighting condition as soon as possible." He said, his attention already on Star as she flew back to Cyborg's side.

"Sounds good to me. Night, all." She said, waving at them as she left.

The hallway was blessedly quiet, and she moved as quickly as she could to her room. Once inside, she breathed a sigh of relief, finally beginning to relax.

_Knock-knock_.


	4. Forest

Beast Boy rocked back and forth on his toes outside of Raven's door. Cyborg had told him she was back when he came in for dinner. Hearing the news, however, he had turned right around and headed to her room. A knot of worry had been present in his stomach ever since they had returned home and found she was gone.

The fight had gone badly enough. They were used to fighting as a team; having a member missing threw off all of their strategies. So the Puppet King had been a lot more difficult to lock up. He had even gotten Starfire under his control before they had gotten his remote control. Beast Boy remembered the look on Robin's face as Star threw her bolts at him. It had been miserable. Beast Boy never wanted to see that again. She was all right now, though. Robin wasn't going to be leaving her side for a while.

Beast Boy raised his fist, about to knock again. It slid open under his hand and he grinned widely to see Raven looking annoyed on the other side. He was thrown off, something wasn't right with her. Perhaps it was the clothes. He had never seen her in jeans before. And the boots…those were definitely new. Her sweatshirt looked a lot like her leotard, but just that fact that it wasn't her normal outfit made Beast Boy see her a bit differently. This wasn't the girl who had fought crime with him for years...was it? Unnerved, he dropped his fist, and blurted out.

"Cyborg said you were back."

She stared at him with those eyes; such a pretty purple. "He was right."

Chuckling, he ran his hand through his hair, making it stick up more. Since when had he thought of her eyes as pretty? "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You had us worried. What was so important that you-"

He stopped. That sense of wrongness made it impossible for him to continue. Distantly, he saw Raven frown and open her mouth to ask him something. He ignored her and closed his eyes- they only distracted him now. He used another sense and inhaled deeply, analyzing what he found.

Beast Boy knew that his friends didn't understand how much his powers influenced him. His name didn't just refer to the fact that he could change into animals- he _was_ an animal. Sleeping, bathing, eating, drinking, running, thinking- his nature influenced everything he did. And it was warning him that something was very, very wrong with Raven.

Her room was defined by cotton, old books, incense, and the burnt edge of candles. He ignored his own scent, because there was something on Raven. A mix of lavender and witch hazel were normal for her. But these other smells- a sharp and yet thick tang hit him. It wasn't fresh, but the fact that the smell of fear was still there…that worried him. And the _other_ one. The one that smelled like musk, the distinctly nauseating smell of arrogance, and a hint of alcohol. That one…he could smell it on her. Mixed with the fear, he could figure what happened.

Beast Boy opened his eyes, finally figuring out what had thrown him off. He saw Raven's eyes widen in shock when she looked at his own; he knew why. He was giving in to the animal's instincts. The ones that allowed him this knowledge. They were harder, less human. But then again, he wasn't entirely human.

Those more knowledgeable eyes looked over Raven carefully. He noted the rip in her sweatshirt and stepped a bit closer. The other smell was strongest by her shoulder and neck. He frowned and leaned closer. Raven froze, but there was no trace of new fear on her. She was just confused. Beast Boy took some comfort in the fact that she wasn't afraid of him like this, but the animal focused on what was important at the moment.

He stopped only when he was an inch above Raven's shoulder. He could feel the heat from her skin, hear the beat of her heart and her shallow breaths. Ignoring it all, Beast Boy inhaled again, the _other_ had been here. Alcohol and lust clung to her skin like a parasite and it took a lot for Beast Boy to reign in his more primal anger.

Stepping away from her, Beast Boy was almost glad when she could still meet his eyes. But the amount of shame in them made him even angrier. She was ashamed for what had been done to her? Clenching his fists and jaw tightly enough to hurt, he moved all the way into her room and closed the door behind him. He knew that his breathing was rougher, but he couldn't help that right now. Raven was looking at the floor when he turned back to her.

"Who was he?" He kept the question short, knowing that other things would escape unless he really concentrated.

"Some guy on the street." Her voice was much quieter than usual.

"Did he hurt you?"

She looked up, finally. Something in his eyes made her frown slightly. He didn't know or care what it was. He needed to know that she was all right.

"N-no." She seemed overwhelmed.

Not entirely believing her, he stared at her hard, listening for all he was worth. Her heartbeat was a little faster than usual, and that just made it a bit easier. A second echo of its beat sounded in her arm. He strode over and took it gently in his hand. Pushing up the sleeve, he revealed the dark, mottling bruise that was beginning to spread over her pale skin. He could feel how much warmer it was than the rest of her. It was obviously a handprint, and far too large be her own, or anyone near her size. The man must have been very big. Letting her sleeve fall back down, he stepped back and looked at her.

"…How…?" She was surprised.

It wasn't often that he surprised her, but he couldn't relish in the moment. "Echo of your heartbeat in bruises. The throbbing that you feel…I can hear it. Anywhere else?"

"No." Her voice was firmer, more familiar to him.

"Did you hurt him?" He felt a low snarl escape, but he couldn't do anything to stop it. His animal demanded the other's pain. She didn't flinch away from him. Beast Boy supposed that perhaps he had been wrong in assuming that none of the others understood his true nature. If anyone could, it would be Raven.

Her chin lifted a bit, "Yes."

"Good." The word rumbled in his chest. He felt the animal pushing at his control and froze, demanding obedience from it. Slowly, it began to withdraw back, retreating to the back of his mind. Eventually, he felt his senses dull just a bit; still much better than a normal human's, but not as powerful as they could be.

"Are you all right?"

He met her eyes, surprised that she would be asking him. Why wouldn't he? Pushing the last remnants of the animal back, he nodded.

"I'm okay. Are you?" His voice had returned to normal; slightly squeaky.

Raven considered the question and then responded. Beast Boy liked that about her. She brushed him off a lot, but if he asked a serious question, she treated it as such. "Yes. I'm angry, if anything." She shook her head slowly, her hand going to her arm, "I should have been able to get rid of him. I…I feel so…"

"Helpless." Beast Boy offered.

"Yes." She admitted softly.

He laughed lowly, a mirthless sound, "Me too." Hadn't he been the one to leave her here alone? If he had been here, he would have gone with her and protected her and kept anything from happening. It was uncomfortable to think of Raven needing protecting, but it was the truth for now. A new thought struck him, and although he was positive his animal would have been able to sense if it had happened, Beast Boy, the person, needed the reassurance, "That guy…he didn't…?"

Raven shuddered a little, "No."

He felt a large amount of his tension leave him, relief soothing him. Raven seemed to calm a bit as well. They stood in silence for a moment, too relived to speak. Beast Boy, as was his nature, broke it first.

"Care to tell me exactly what happened?"

Raven sighed, looking away for a minute. He knew she was embarrassed, but there was no need for it. She took a breath and began, "I was leaving the amusement park-"

Whatever he had been anticipating, it hadn't been that, "What? Why were you there?" He feared he already knew the answer.

She kept her calm, as was expected, "I was looking for Slade. I believe that you fought him- your memories told me as much. I went to look for the robot, to perhaps find some clues."

He tried to keep his voice controlled, but he failed miserably. "How could you go there alone? One Slade-bot was there, why didn't you think there would be another one lurking around?"

"Beast Boy, no one was there. Not even the one you destroyed."

He froze. "What?" It came out as a strangled whisper. He moved over to her bed and sat down with a thump.

Raven sat next to him, "The robot was gone."

He stared at his hands, "I swear to you, I fought him."

"I believe you."

Those simple words calmed him. Raven wouldn't say it if she truly didn't believe him. He looked up at her, trying to tell her without words how much it meant to him that she believed him. She flushed slightly, but gave no other indication she understood him.

"We're going to have to tell the others. Someone knew where the bot was and took it from the park. That can't be good." She finished.

Beast Boy nodded, "Yeah." Of course they had to tell the others. But there were still some things that he needed to hear first, "So…you left the park?"

"I was trying to get out of the gate and my sweatshirt got caught. Hence the rip." She glanced to it, obviously annoyed. "He got in front of me while I was trying to get free."

Sitting very still, Beast Boy looked at the ground. He could feel the anger beginning again, and although he knew now that barely anything had happened, it was hard to keep a good lock on the urge to rip something up.

"I tried to get past him, but he sort of backed me up into the fence." He saw Raven took a breath and glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. He heard his gloves creak as his fists tightened again.

"Beast Boy, I can stop." She offered. It was odd to hear her concern for him while she was telling this story. "Nothing happened."

"Go on." There was a bit of a growl, but he had regained some control.

"I had a tiny bit of power back, so I looked down and got it ready. He had his hands on my arm and waist, but I ignored it. Then…"

He glanced up when she hesitated, and she gestured at her neck. He understood perfectly and nodded, just once.

"I had used my power to pull up a bit of Rage." She referred to her most uncontrollable emotion. "Just the eyes. So when he looked at me…"

He smiled a bit, impressed at her quick thinking. "You gave new meaning to four-eyes. And crazy eyes. And-"

"Yes." She sounded a bit happier that he didn't sound so angry.

"So you scared him away?" Four, demonic, glowing red eyes would frighten anyone away. But that didn't explain the bruise He frowned, "Then when did he hurt you?"

"He backed up and I ran to the car. On my way, he grabbed my arm. I turned and kneed him." She almost sounded embarrassed, as if he would be upset.

"Good. Hard, I hope." Beast Boy truly hoped she did permanent damage.

She even smiled faintly, "As hard as I could. I hope I did some permanent damage."

Nearly laughing at her speaking his mind, he just asked, "And then?"

"I ran to the DeSoto, got in, started it and drove back here." She summarized quickly.

He suspected that it hadn't been quite so easy, but he let it slide. "And you came straight here?" Beast Boy stopped, "No, you went to the common room first."

"I told them I was back. Cyborg seemed quite concerned when he called my communicator. I felt bad for worrying him." Raven admitted. She hesitated, which was very unlike Raven. "Could you…not tell anyone about what happened? It's bad enough I can't fight, but if they found out that I couldn't even protect myself…"

"I won't tell anyone. But maybe you shouldn't go out to places like the amusement park on your own." He smiled.

"Agreed." She suddenly asked, "Why is Robin following Star around like he is?"

Beast Boy knew exactly what she was talking about. "The Puppet King got her with one of his control darts. She kind of tried to blast Robin off the map. But I think he was more worried than angry."

"Well, he does love her." Raven said simply, looking at the book on her nightstand.

Smiling, he said, "You think so, too? Cyborg and I have a bet going on when they're going to get together."

"It won't be for a while. Robin's convinced that he can only ever be the boy wonder and never anything else to anyone. He'd be afraid of putting her in danger." She spoke calmly, completely positive that she was right. Beast Boy didn't doubt that, but still, he was a little amazed. He stared at her in shock until she looked at him.

"How do you know?" He asked.

She flushed slightly, "Starfire sometimes confides in me. I suppose, she can't talk to Robin, and she thinks that you and Cyborg will tease her, so she comes to me."

"Cause you're a girl?" He didn't mean for it to come out so offensively.

Raven glared at him. "Perhaps. But also because I know what it's like to be hurt by someone you care for."

Oh. Of course. How could he have forgotten Malchior? Beast Boy remembered the days following Malchior's downfall quite vividly. Raven had never seemed so defeated before or since; even when Trigon had come to Earth. She didn't eat or drink, not even tea, and she didn't leave her room for days. He hadn't been able to stand it- he missed her dry responses and one-liners. Beast Boy had risked life and limb and gone to her door. Following that had been one of the only hugs Raven had ever given him. Sure, he had lunged and hugged her loads more, but Beast Boy could count the amount of times she had hugged him on one hand.

"I'm sorry, Raven. I forgot." He said gently, ears drooping a little.

She wanted to yell at him, it was obvious. But as was appropriate for Raven, she just nodded, "It's all right."

"No, it's not. I shouldn't have said that."

"It's fine, Beast Boy. Really." She was calm. A little bit too calm.

Not knowing what else to do, he stood and headed towards the door. Unable to help himself, he turned and blurted, "He was an idiot. Malchior."

She arched a brow, "I think of the parties involved, it wasn't him that was an idiot. It was me."

"No. He was an idiot and a jerk. And he's still a jerk for making you feel bad, even now. You shouldn't. 'Cause you're not an idiot. You put him back in the book, all on your own. You save people every day. You're…awesome." He finished lamely.

Her smile wasn't very big, but it was there. He saw it. She glanced away, and by the time she looked back it was gone, but he had seen it.

"Thanks, Beast Boy." She stood up, "I think we should tell the others about the Slade-bot now, though."

"You're going to come with me?" He sounded shocked.

"Of course. I may be unable to do anything else, but talking is something I can do." There was just a hint of bitterness. He wished it hadn't been there at all.

Before he could mention it, she was passing him and walking up the hall.

"Come on, then." Her voice floated back down the hallway.

* * *

"You didn't think to tell us before?" Robin hollered.

He was just a bit angry, Raven noticed detachedly. Perhaps a few years ago she might have been chastised or felt offended by Robin's outburst, but he was always this ridiculous when it came to Slade. She sighed inwardly, waiting for him to calm down enough to talk rationally.

Beast Boy was having a bit harder time. He shuffled his feet as Robin yelled, ears drooping and eyes downcast. But his hands were also clenched and she got waves of brown off of him. It seemed he was verging between humiliation and anger. Raven felt a surge of pity for him and before she knew what she was doing, she had intervened.

"Enough, Robin." She spoke quietly, but always with authority. They knew to listen to her and this was no exception.

Still annoyed, he whirled on Raven, "And you! I expected better from you! Why didn't you inform us?"

Now she was a bit irked. "And when was I supposed to tell you, Robin? I found out while healing Beast Boy. I was unconscious immediately afterwards for three days. I woke up for about ten minutes before falling asleep again. And when I woke up this morning, you were all gone. You're home now, and here we are, telling you." Her voice was hard. She had done nothing to be chastised for. Robin strode forward until he was almost directly in Raven's face. She didn't like it- no one invaded her space like this. She could feel the waves of blindingly red fury coming off of Robin, along with the smallest hint of burgundy- fear.

"That doesn't explain his inaction!" Robin yelled, gesturing at Beast Boy.

Beast Boy opened his mouth, to apologize and argue, but Raven once again stepped in.

"Beast Boy has been dealing with enough. When I realized what he had been through, I went and investigated the park as soon as I was able." She met Robin's eyes squarely- he was only a few inches taller than her, and they both knew that she could flatten him just as easily as he could harm her. The tension was palpable, and she could see worry coming off of Star and Cyborg, while Beast Boy's was a mix of browns and blue greens.

Cyborg cleared his throat, "So that's where you were tonight, Rae?"

She didn't look away from Robin, "Yes."

"That's a dangerous place to be in at night." Cyborg observed.

"Friend Cyborg is right, Raven. You are lucky to have returned unharmed from that area of town. Especially when you lack your powers." She didn't mean to offend Raven, so she ignored the slight to her capabilities.

She felt Beast Boy tense up next to her with these comments. Concerned that he might let something slip, she continued, "Yes. But here I am, all in one piece, trying to talk rationally to you."

"I still can't believe you kept this from us!" Robin yelled, obviously losing his control.

Raven snapped. "Forget it." She turned around, grabbing Beast Boy's arm and started to head out the door.

"Where are you going?" Robin said from behind them

"There is no point in talking to you when you're like this. When you calm down and can stop yelling, we'll discuss Slade." She said calmly.

"Raven." Robin's voice was already calmer, but he reached out and grabbed her arm.

Her heavily bruised arm.

She gasped and flinched away from him. To Robin's credit, he let go immediately, concern replacing any of his residual anger. Her hand went protectively to the injury and she avoided all of their eyes.

"Raven?" Starfire spoke through the tension. "What is the matter?"

"Noth-" She tried to say, but Robin had pushed the sleeve of her sweatshirt up before she could stop him and the obvious mark of a handprint was revealed to the room. She caught their faces before she looked down- shock, confusion, disbelief and no small amount of anger. Raven could feel her shame growing, flushing her skin and knotting her stomach, as she stood defenseless, with nothing to hide her from the stares.

And then suddenly, there was.

Beast Boy stepped between her and them, "Dudes, back off. Nothing happened. Some jerk tried to best Raven, but she beat him, like she always does."

"But you didn't have your powers…" Cyborg said gently, directing his unfinished sentence at her.

Once again, Beast Boy stepped in. "Like she needed them. She used her brains and got away with nothing but a bruise. So leave her alone."

A dark green was rolling off of him, something that Raven hadn't seen enough of to know. She was distracted when Robin opened his mouth to ask something else, but for a third time, Beast Boy saved her the embarrassment.

"So anyway, when Raven was down there, she went to the mirror room and saw that someone had taken the Slade-bot away." Beast Boy said, effectively making Robin forget about Raven's bruise for at least the rest of the night.

"It was gone?" The young hero asked. "Who took it?"

"That's why we came to you." Beast Boy said.

Starfire, who was naïve, not stupid, began to contribute, "Could the Slade-bot have gotten away under it's own powers?"

Beast Boy shook his head. "No. I kind of wrecked it."

"Are you sure, B? Those things are pretty resilient." Cyborg said.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Beast Boy muttered, "It didn't have any legs afterwards…or arms…or a head."

Cyborg whistled, "Man…that bot must have really annoyed you."

"Yeah." He replied shortly.

Robin turned to Raven and she tensed slightly. She shouldn't have worried.

"Did you find any clues while you were there?"

Raven reached into her pocket and pulled out the small piece of the robot's suit. "This was all that was there. There were no footprints because of the amount of glass on the ground. No blood, other than Beast Boy's."

"How'd you know it was mine?" The changeling asked.

Raven shrugged. "I just know. Only you four, though."

"Probably from the amount of healing you've done on us." Cyborg theorized.

"Most likely."

Robin looked at her, "How soon are you going to be back to full strength?"

She considered it carefully; this wasn't something for her to just guess at. "Giving myself a little leeway for the unexpected…I'd say within eight days. Possibly a day or two sooner."

"There's no way you can speed that up?" He questioned.

Raven understood his fervor, but he needed to understand, otherwise he'd begin to resent her. "If I try to heal myself with power I don't have, I'll burn up."

"We could handle a fever, Rae." Cyborg said with a smile.

She didn't smile back- she had seen this happen before. "No. I mean literally, I will begin to burn. From the inside out."

That shocked them into silence for a minute.

"Oh." Robin said. He nodded, "All right. Eight days before we could be ready to take on Slade. Let's hope he'll wait until then."

"We don't even know if it is Slade." Cyborg said. "It could be some other punk."

"Cyborg is right." Starfire said, hovering slightly behind Robin. "There is no need to get worked up. Perhaps it is all a misunderstanding."

Robin didn't even look back at her.

The alien girl sighed, glancing up at Raven. The sorrow in her eyes was already great. What Starfire felt, she felt in excess. Waves of vibrant burnt orange overcame Raven and the empath couldn't help but feel her own heart break, just a little. She sent what small amount of comfort she could to Star, though it was nowhere near enough.

Cyborg had come over while she had been involved with Star's emotions.

"Are you sure you're all right?" He questioned gently.

"She's fine, dude." Beast Boy was there again.

Raven nodded over Beast Boy's shoulder, reassuring the man. For some reason, Cyborg was a cerulean blue- amused? At what?

"You should get some sleep, Raven." Robin said suddenly. She knew that his concern was more for catching Slade than it was for her health. It wasn't that Robin didn't care about her, it was just that Slade usually overcame him.

She nodded, waving to Star and saying a quick goodnight to Cyborg and Beast Boy. When the doors slid closed behind her, she felt a small sense of relief. The emotions in there tonight had been just a bit much for her. A small headache was already behind her right eye and there was no way she was going to go back in there for tea.

It would get better the further she moved away from them. Usually it wasn't so bad, but without her powers to shield her, her empathy had become more of a burden than a blessing.

Once she had gotten to the bathrooms, she stopped for a minute. Going into the one she shared with Starfire, Raven splashed some water on her face to soothe her head. It helped enough that she was able to continue to her room.

There was a green teen waiting at her door, however. His hands were awkwardly held behind his back and she feared some sort of prank. When he didn't move, she relaxed a bit. Beast Boy wasn't known for restraint when it came to humiliating others.

"Yes?" She said. Having used up her conversation quota for the next four months, she had to make an effort to be polite.

"Are you okay?" He asked, without preamble.

She nodded. "I'm fine. It just got far too bright in there for me."

That confused him for a moment, but then he made the connection. "Oh, the emotions. Is Star going to be all right?"

Raven shrugged. "She cares about Robin enough that she'll wait for him. But now he'll be ignoring her more and more. You know how he gets when Slade is mentioned."

"Yeah. He was way out of line, yelling at you." Beast Boy said.

She had thought they had been discussing Starfire, but all right. "It's Robin. And we mentioned Slade. It was to be expected."

"Still, he should have been yelling at me. Not you." He lifted his chin. "I can handle him."

"I know you can." She could sense his shock at her statement, but moved on, "So why are you outside of my door?"

"Oh!" He carefully pulled his hand out from behind his back. In it, was a perfectly prepared cup of tea.

Raven stared at it for a moment, long enough for Beast Boy to begin to babble.

"I thought…with how tense things were in there…that you might need some tea. I mean, on top of everything else that happened, and you need to heal up so we can take on Slade…I thought you'd have a headache…or something…" He shuffled a bit, sending the surface of the tea rippling dangerously.

Rescuing the mug from his hands, Raven considered the changeling in a new manner. This side of Beast Boy, the kind, observant and less abrasive side- this was nice.

"Thank you, Beast Boy." She said, trying to make her voice sound warm.

He grinned, "Thank you, too. For getting Robin to see sense."

It was her turn to feel a bit awkward. She needed to say it, but still… "And thanks…for keeping the others from asking too many questions."

"Robin didn't hurt you when he grabbed you, did he?" There was just a touch of anger there.

Raven shook her head, "No. And he felt badly afterwards."

"Good. Well, you should get some sleep. I should, too. Wanna bet Robin's going to have us out running patrols from morning til night?" He smiled.

"Most likely. But I won't be able to go." She couldn't keep the annoyance out of her voice.

Beast Boy stared at her for a minute, something changing in his eyes, "Don't be so hard on yourself." It wasn't advice. It was almost like an order. "You're constantly saying negative things about yourself. Cut it out."

She was more than a little shocked. He was being very confidant. Completely at a loss for what to say, she glanced away from him and he softened a bit.

Beast Boy hugged her with one arm, taking care not to spill the tea she held. "'Night."

She patted his arm, "Goodnight."

Grinning as he let go of her, he wandered off down the hall towards his own room. Raven watched him go and sipped her tea before entering her own room. Things were certainly different around the Tower. And she had a feeling they were just going to keep getting stranger.


	5. Clover

Beast Boy woke up feeling incredibly refreshed. He stretched expertly before tumbling out of his bed. He fell with only a slightly loud crash to the floor, but he didn't flinch. Dressing quickly, he headed out the door while hopping, trying to get his shoes on. It was earlier than usual for him to be up, but he had a few things he needed to do.

He knocked loudly on the door to the crime room. Unfortunately, until Slade was caught, this is where Robin would be spending most of his time, day and night. As Beast Boy had anticipated, Robin opened the door, looking as if he had spent the night looking over old files. Which he probably had.

"Beast Boy. What time is it?" He mumbled. Pushing his hair into some sort of control.

"Just after seven. I needed to talk to you about a few things." He moved into the crime room without preamble, closing the door behind him.

"What's up?" Robin was trying to give Beast Boy his full attention, but his gaze wandered over to the evidence.

"Two things. First, Raven."

Robin looked a little surprised, "What about her?"

"She's feeling useless. I was thinking that maybe you could send her out on patrol today with Cyborg. He'll be driving so it's not like she'll wear herself out, but she'll be out and doing something for the team, rather than here by herself."

"Raven needs rest, Beast Boy." He said. "I understand that she wants to help, but she really can't participate in anything until she's fully healed."

"If we leave her here alone, she's going to go out on her own anyway. And from last night, that would be worse than setting her up to patrol with Cyborg." Beast Boy retorted.

Looking at his fully in the eyes, "You know more about last night than you said."

"Yeah."

Robin waited, but when it was clear Beast Boy wasn't about to volunteer anything, he asked, "Was it bad?"

"Yeah. But the bruise was the only thing that happened."

"Good." He looked back to his papers. "Cyborg can get distracted during patrols. Raven might see something he'd miss." Turning back to Beast Boy, the teen nodded, "All right. She'll patrol with Cyborg. What else did you want to talk about?"

"Starfire." Beast Boy said.

"There's nothing wrong with Star, she'll be able to patrol on her own." Robin said distractedly.

"I wasn't talking about that. We all know how you get when Slade is mentioned." He talked over Robin when he tried to interrupt. "And we understand, for the most part. But Starfire needs more from you than orders. You'd have to be stupid not to see that she's crazy about you."

"Starfire and I are friends. She's not interested in-"

"Dude. She told Raven. And Raven thinks that although Star will never say anything to you, she's really depressed now, and will be until you stop acting like…" He waved a hand at Robin's darkened eyes and rumpled clothes, "this and start being nice to her again."

Momentarily shocked, he tried to argue, "It would be too dangerous for Starfire and I to…become anything more than teammates."

"And what we do every day isn't dangerous enough?" Beast Boy shrugged, "Just think about it. Or better yet, actually look at her and see how bummed she is."

He turned to leave, but Robin apparently wasn't done yet.

"You and Raven seem to be talking more."

Beast Boy paused. "Yeah. She's been helping me through some stuff."

"The girl who looked like Terra?"

"Not just that. Other things. She knows a lot, once you get her to stop being scary. Without her powers, she's a bit less dangerous to be around."

"She's not scary, Beast Boy."

He grinned, "I know."

Robin shook his head, "You'd better get out there and make your breakfast before Cyborg beats you to it."

He hurried out the door, Robin was right. Cyborg was going to ruin all the cooking stuff with his stupid meat. That had to be avoided at all costs.

Luckily, when he entered the main room, it was completely empty. Beast Boy smiled, preparing his meal- tofu egg omelet with peppers and mushrooms.

Starfire entered as he was just sitting down to eat.

"Morning, Star."

"Hello, friend." She sounded so down. Beast Boy wished there was something he could do for her, but he did try earlier. He just had to hope that Robin saw reason.

Raven was the next one in. She nodded at Beast Boy before glanced to the downcast Starfire.

"Morning, Raven." Starfire mumbled.

"Morning." Raven replied. She quickly prepared her tea, waiting at the counter for the water to boil. "Where are Cyborg and Robin?"

"Robin was in the evidence room earlier. Cyborg should be up any minute." Beast Boy supplied.

Sure enough, Cyborg came in with Robin right behind.

"Good morning, y'all." Cyborg grinned.

Beast smiled back; it was hard to be down when Cyborg was always there to cheer you up.

The others mumbled greetings, settling around the tab le as Cyborg made scrambled eggs, ham and bacon for the other carnivores.

Robin didn't waste much time. "We'll take shifts for patrolling today. Beast Boy, you'll be right after breakfast on the western part of town. Starfire at noon to the northern sections. Cyborg and Raven at three in the eastern districts, and I'll take the south at six."

Beast Boy saw how Raven looked more than a little surprised to be included in the patrolling. She didn't act much on it though, just a tiny lift of her lips as she sipped her tea. He patted himself on the back for getting her included. It seemed that, although he was the one who annoyed her most, he also tried the hardest to make sure she was invited and considered. Funny how those things work out.

He also noticed how when Robin finished his plan, his eyes wandered over to the young alien, who was sitting listlessly in her chair. Emotions began to flicker across his face quickly- surprise, regret, guilt and then, a little bit of happiness. Once again, Beast Boy smiled. He knew that Robin wasn't just going to let Starfire remain so sad.

He finished his breakfast quickly. "Well, I'm off."

"Be careful, Beast Boy." Starfire said.

Cyborg laughed, "He could take on a whole army of Slade's bots, he'll be fine."

"Keep an eye out for anything that could possibly have to do with Slade. You know how conniving he can be." Robin warned him. As if Beast Boy needed the reminder.

Raven simply said, "See you later."

Beast Boy waved, and hurried up to the roof. He jumped off, morphing into a falcon as he fell. He really did love flying. Unable to restrain himself, he let out a loud screech and flew towards the city.

It was still pretty quiet. There weren't too many people out yet. He supposed that they were all still sleeping in. It was a Saturday, after all. Still, he tried not to let himself slack off. Just because he wanted to be home playing video games, it didn't mean that Slade wasn't around causing mayhem.

To be honest, though, he really doubted that they would find Slade. He never allowed himself to be found until he was ready. One thing Slade was good at was hiding from them. Of course, the last real time they had fought Slade had been when Trigon had struck. And that time had nearly done them in. That had been a hard time.

Beast Boy veered slightly to his left, checking down one of the many alleys in Jump City. Unfortunately, the direction change brought him within sight of Murakami High School. He stared down at it, knowing that Terra attended there. For some reason, the thought of her wasn't as painful as it usually was. He was happy that she was no longer a statue, of course. But beyond that, Beast Boy discovered that if he was given a chance to begin anew with Terra, he most likely wouldn't take it. It was a sobering thought, to have closed that chapter in his life. But still, he thought as he beat his wings to get a little higher, when one door closes…

He thought about what he would do when he got back to the Tower. Definitely some video games with Cy. Most of the time, he could spend all day on the couch with the half robot, but Beast Boy also found a strange desire to hang out with Raven. Despite being included in the patrolling, she would still feel even more out of place without her powers. But Cyborg would be able to help cheer her up. He was good at that. Maybe Beast Boy could do something nice for her…to help improve her mood even more. He'd have some time while she and Cyborg were out on patrol. He grinned, as much as a falcon's beak was capable of doing, and flew a little faster.

* * *

Back at the Tower, Raven sipped her tea. Fortunately, the tea's warmth was dimmed by how brightly Starfire was shining right now. She was the brightest of canary yellows and for once, Raven wasn't annoyed by it.

After Beast Boy had left, Robin had turned to Starfire and asked if, after her patrol, she'd like to go to the mall with him. It wasn't a date, but Raven could tell that they were definitely working their way towards one.

She didn't quite understand Robin's sudden mood change, but she was happy for it. Despite the threat of Slade, they were all happy. The Tower had once again become a safe haven, rather than Robin's personal storm cloud.

Still, there were things that needed to be done. After Robin had left and Starfire had gone to her room (no doubt to plan her outfit, which would end up being the same one she wore everyday), Raven had approached Cyborg who was still finishing his inhuman breakfast portions.

"What's up, Rae? How're you feeling?" He smiled.

"Better. I was wondering if you could help me with something."

He inhaled the rest of his meal like a vacuum. "Sure. What can I do?"

It was rare that Raven asked any of the others for help, but Cyborg was the one who she felt would be the least thrown off by it. She was right.

"I need some help with the computer documents. I need to get some information on someone."

He approached the keyboard, "Does this have anything to do with Slade?"

"Possibly."

Once the screen was loaded, he moved the cursor into the search box. "Who're we searching and where do we have some information on her."

Raven kept her voice monotone. "Murakami High School records. The name is Terra Markov."

Cyborg turned to look at her. "Really?"

"Yes."

He pulled up the same file of Terra that Raven had found the day before. They both stared at it for a moment. "Wow…no wonder B thought she was Terra."

"I'm not sure it isn't her." Raven said, peering over Cyborg's shoulder. Murakami wasn't the easiest school to get into, so how had Terra enrolled just two months ago?

"You think she had something to do with all of this?" Cyborg asked, enlarging the files that contained her guardian's information and address.

"I think it'd be foolish not to consider the idea. Beast Boy sees a girl that looks exactly like Terra, but she claims not to remember him. He seeks solace in the place where he and Terra had history and gets attacked by a Slade bot. Seems like the two have to be connected in some way."

Cyborg printed out the address, but then he continued to stare at the name of her guardian. S. Wilson. "And we're not telling the others because…?"

"Beast Boy wouldn't want us to. And I'd rather not say anything until we have more information." She was distracted by the name. "Can you find anything on him? Wilson?"

Cyborg searched for the man, and found a few records. "Social security, tax statements…he's a widower who is involved in the foster care system. That's probably how Terra got placed with him." He paused. "Wait. Something's wrong."

"What?"

He pointed to a blinking light. "This indicates that something on this page has been forged. It should be able to tell us what, but it can't. That means some top of the line forgery, because my codes are pretty much impossible to get through."

Raven didn't doubt him. "Terra's address…do we have a map of it?"

He brought one up quickly. "We do now." He pointed out her house, "This is where she lives."

"Odd." Raven said. "She's way outside of the Murakami school district."

"Not to mention deep in the eastern side…all it's known for are violent crimes. Shootings, rapes, murders…"

"And they sent a foster child there?" Raven asked.

"Not only that, but her guardian lives there, yet can afford to send her to Murakami?" Cyborg turned in his chair. "You're right, Rae. This is way too coincidental not to be connected."

"So perhaps our patrol will involve a small detour?" She asked, glad she was paired with Cyborg.

He picked up the printout of Terra's address and guardian's information. "Absolutely."

Raven motioned to the screen. "We should close that down. I wouldn't want anyone to see it until we have more information."

"You mean, you wouldn't want Beast Boy to see it." Cyborg smiled.

She looked at him, "Perhaps."

Cyborg leaned back in his chair, the screen free of Terra's information. "You two seem to be getting along better than usual."

"He isn't so annoying once he stops telling stupid jokes." Raven could feel a bit of smugness coming off of Cyborg. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing." He grinned. "First Robin and Star, now you and Beast Boy…"

She glared. "We're friends, Cyborg. He's having a hard time and I'm helping him."

"All right." He held up his hands in surrender. "You're friends. That's still better than you two were before."

She allowed him that. "True."

"Well, I'm glad to see it. He's been through a lot lately, with the Doom Patrol and the Brotherhood of Evil. Now add Slade and Terra on top of it." He shook his head. "To be honest, I had no idea he was so resilient. He always seemed like he'd break under the stress and responsibility."

Raven turned to the counter, picking up her rapidly cooling tea, "He's much stronger than that. I wasn't surprised by his actions during the fight with the Brotherhood."

"Why not?"

"Do you remember Mento?" She asked, referring to the Doom Patrol's team leader.

"Arrogant guy. Talked about us like we were stupid kids. Yeah, I remember him." Cyborg grumbled.

"Beast Boy lived with them for years, training under them. I doubt he was allowed to act like he does here. And he was even younger then." She recalled their first fight with the Doom Patrol. How Mento had scolded Beast Boy for saving them instead of stopping the Brain. "I think he was forced to act much older than he was. And it's clear that Mento valued victory over his team's safety."

He whistled, "I never really thought about it. But damn…that must have been tough on the kid."

"You've seen his health records and x-rays." Raven added. They had both seen them. A few months ago, Beast Boy broke his collarbone in a fight. She and Cyborg had been in the infirmary, looking over him and they discovered his past x-rays. Almost every bone in his body had been broken at least once, on top of even more fractures. Most of them had occurred before he joined the Titans.

Cyborg shook his head. "I should have realized…he's much tougher than he looks. It's just with all of his jokes, and pranks and…well, stupid things he does…it's hard to think about him as anything but a goof."

"I think Mento took away his real childhood. So he's making sure to have as much fun as he can here. He's had a very rough life." Raven sipped her tea. She had discovered this all a while ago, but assumed that if Beast Boy really wanted to talk about it, he would have. Perhaps she should be the one to ask. He wasn't likely to let down his foolish nature and confide in something that he would think would change their view of him. She already knew and still treated him the same. It might be good for him to have an outlet for his past pains.

Cyborg realized she was done talking and suggested, "You should get some rest before the patrol. I have a feeling it won't be quite as relaxing for you as Robin thinks."

She nodded, "I must admit. I'm still surprised that he included me in the patrol."

Smiling, Cyborg stood and walked past her. "Oh, you don't know? Beast Boy told him to do it."

"Beast Boy…?" She asked. But Cyborg was already out the door. Raven stood more than a little stunned, staring after him.


	6. Pine

A loud knocking on her door woke Raven from her nap. She had recovered from the shock Cyborg had given her and taken his advice to rest up before the patrol. She looked at her clock- 2:29. There were only a few more minutes until her alarm went off anyway, so she got up, straining a little bit. She had meditated before resting, healing most of her broken rib so it was only fractured. Once again though, she was powerless.

She opened the door, relived at being able to breathe a bit easier. She was unsurprised to see Beast Boy outside.

"Hey." He said, smiling.

She let him in, assuming he would have just come in anyway. "Hello."

He followed her in, not really talking. She grabbed her brush, getting rid of the worst tangles from her nap.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked.

She glanced at him, "Better. I was able to heal myself a little bit."

"Good." He grinned. "So you're going patrolling with Cyborg, huh?"

She arched a brow. "You should know, as apparently you're the one who arranged it."

He seemed surprised, but then smiled sheepishly. "Maybe. I just…you seemed so upset yesterday and I didn't want you to feel left out again."

"Are you also responsible for Starfire and Robin?" She guessed.

He seemed a bit prouder of that one, "Did something happen?"

"He asked her to go to the mall with him after her patrol." She recalled Starfire's happiness with a faint smile and turned to her mirror to finish brushing her hair. "She was thrilled, to say the least."

She could see Beast Boy looking at her books in the mirror. "Good. He needed to stop being stupid and treat her better."

"I agree."

He turned and grinned at her in the mirror. "So Star isn't all sad and giving you a headache anymore?"

Raven paused in her brushing and turned in her seat. "Was that why you did it?"

Beast Boy looked back at her bookshelves. "Partly. Don't get me wrong, I want to see them both happy, too. But Robin should stop making everyone in the Tower miserable just because he's stubborn. I just showed him how much it was hurting Star and he got it. But I knew that if she was happy, it'd probably help your headaches, too. How come they seems so much worse lately? You never used to have these problems."

She was quiet for a moment, putting her brush down. "With my powers diminished, it's much harder to block out emotions. The power forms a natural barrier, so I can only see emotions and sense people when I try. Without it, it's like everyone is screaming, all the time." She paused. "Thank you. For what you did for me and Starfire."

"Sure." He said off-handedly. "So did you finish your book?"

She tried to remember what he was talking about. "Oh. The Grimault Verses? Yes."

"Is that what it was?" He asked.

Raven smiled slightly, "Yes. One of the foremost authorities on magic."

"Cool." He turned away from her shelves and watched as she put her cloak on. "I really just wanted to say be careful on your patrol."

"I doubt I could get into trouble with Cyborg at my side."

"Still…Slade is dangerous. And the last time he was around…" He trailed off.

Yes, Raven remembered his part in her father's ascension vividly. She had always thought that her father would be the one who would intimidate her the most, but Slade was at least tied with the demon, if not surpassing him. Though, she smiled slightly in the mirror. During her last encounter with Slade, she had definitely come out better. Giving into one's demon's instincts was rarely satisfying, but part of her had rejoiced seeing Slade helpless and unable to hurt her. Of course, he probably remembered it, too…and he was definitely the type to hold a grudge. A slight chill went through her and she put up her hood automatically.

She cleared her throat. "I'll be careful."

"Thanks. I'll see you when you get back?" He sounded hopeful.

She pulled up her hood, "We live together. I think it's inevitable."

He smiled, "Good." He walked with her to the garage, not talking much for once. Raven assumed he was thinking about something completely unrelated, but then he surprised her with, "I'd say good luck, but I'm kind of hoping for the opposite."

She thought about her other goal on this patrol and felt the same, "I think that's true for everyone." Cyborg honked the horn of the T Car, impatient as always. "Bye."

"Bye, Raven."

His voice sounded a little odd, and the colors that flooded her mind were far too confusing and mixed for her to interpret them. She settled for her usual response- walking away. She slipped into the front seat with barely a wince, settling herself in for the ride.

"Are you sure about this?" Cyborg asked. He had the paper with Terra's address in between them.

"No. But it's the right thing to do." Raven said calmly. Cyborg gently eased the car out of the garage, and then took off into the city. One of the things Raven enjoyed about Cyborg is that he wouldn't fill the silence with needless chatter, unless he felt as if something was wrong. She glanced into the backseat.

"I brought some clothes for us to wear once we get to Terra's neighborhood." She said after they had been driving for some time. She had put them in the car before her nap, as discreetly as she could without being sneaky. It wasn't that she didn't want the others to know what they were going to do for Terra, but she didn't want the others to know.

Cyborg frowned, "What for?"

She looked out the window, resting her head on the cool glass. "We're about to walk into an extremely dangerous place, where we've arrested half of these men and beaten up the other half. We only have one fully functioning Titan to fend them off. I thought that the subtle approach might be better."

"What about the car?" He worried.

"We'll park it carefully and walk the rest of the way."

He wasn't thrilled with the idea; neither the under cover approach, or the walking. But he didn't say anything. Raven was grateful. She was having enough doubts about this without him creating more.

Several more minutes passed. Cyborg pulled into a small neighborhood, parking at a community pool. It wasn't open, but there were still some people who parked there and crossed the street to the skate park.

"It's only about a mile from here. The back of the neighborhood, so we'll come up to Terra's house from behind." Cyborg said.

Raven nodded, and pulled the clothes out from the backseat. She just slipped the jeans and sweatshirt over her leotard, exchanging her boots for the more common ones. Cyborg pulled on his track suit with disdain – it was a far cry from his attitude when they met.

"Ready?" He asked.

She just nodded, leaving the safety of the car.

The walk was uneventful, for all of their concerns. It seemed that although Raven looked like an easy target, the six and a half foot tall, heavily muscular man at her side kept any predators at bay.

They moved quickly, but not suspiciously, through the streets. They avoided crowds, keeping their revealing skin hidden beneath hoods and pockets. Raven was glad that it was still light out, though it may have provided more cover for them. She would rather have the light right now.

"Here it is. 3312." Cyborg said.

Raven listened for a moment, "She's in there. She's alone."

"Do we just knock?" He asked.

She didn't answer, instead, she opened stepped up to the discolored wooden door and knocked loudly.

Raven knew the instant the door opened that Terra remembered everything she had done. Her blue eyes flashed in recognition before shutting down, guarding her feelings in a way that Raven had mastered.

"Who are you?" Terra asked, even adding a faint tremble to her voice. It was a good act. No wonder she had convinced Beast Boy.

"We need to speak with you, Terra." Raven said dispassionately.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are and I-"

"Cut the crap." Cyborg said. "You're in danger, so let us in." He had always been an observant person, he saw her initial reaction.

Terra tried to hold her ground, but Cyborg was like a tsunami wave when he wanted to be. She sighed, stepping back just a bit. Her posture made it clear that she was reluctant to do so.

The living room – if it could be called that – was in shambles. A fuzzy tv sat on the ground, and a broken and partially spring-less couch sat in front of it. From the blankets and the pillows on it and strewn across the floor, Terra had only attempted to make this one room livable as her bedroom and living room. The blonde sat on the couch, still trying.

"I really don't know what this is about. Who are you?" She brushed her hair back in that way Raven had detested.

Cyborg smiled, but it was a little cold. "It would be more convincing if you acted like a fan. Very few people in town don't know us. And I know you've already met Beast Boy."

Terra tried to keep the mask on, but she hadn't had the years of practice that Raven had. It faded away, replaced with a simmering anger and embarrassment. Also, Raven was quietly pleased to note, a bit of fear.

"Who's house is this?" Raven asked her. She'd press the advantage the fear gave her as much as she could.

"My foster father's."

"Liar." She shot the words back at the girl.

Terra stared at her, trying to judge her attitude. She failed. "It was one of Slade's safe houses. I knew where he kept all of his documents and money. So when I got free, I went there and raided it. Not like he'll need it." A tinge of pride.

"He might want it back." Cyborg said.

"He's dead."

"You wish." Raven said. "He's back. We saw him again, months ago. Raised a demon, destroyed the world. Destroyed lots of things."

"How?"

"That's not important. How did you come back?" Raven stared at the blonde. "How did you come back and do you still have your powers?"

Terra glared at her. "I don't know. It happened months ago. I just suddenly woke up. I think…I can remember a white light…and then I was awake."

"Raven…" Cyborg breathed. "It was you."

"What?" Both girls said simultaneously.

"When you defeated Trigon…your power exploded into a white light, bringing everything and _everyone_ back. You did it."

Unsure if she should be glad or annoyed, Raven decided to respond with a noncommittal nod. "And did you return with your powers as well?"

"No."

"Liar." Raven hissed quietly. Thank Azar she could at least tell when someone was lying to an easy question.

Terra glared, her eyes flickering yellow a bit. "I forgot how you could read minds, witch."

She ignored the slur to her person, locking her violet eyes with Terra's.

"I have some of my powers. They aren't as strong as they were before."

As far as Raven could tell, she was telling the truth.

"We need to get you somewhere safe. Slade's back and it's a miracle he hasn't come after you already." Cyborg eased the tension.

"Where am I gonna go?" Terra laughed. "The only other place I knew was the Tower."

Raven hated the thought of Terra even setting foot in the Tower. But she didn't have an answer. This was the real Terra, so they couldn't leave her to face Slade's wrath. "Robin will know what to do."

"Do you really think taking her to the Tower is a good idea?" Cyborg asked her.

"I'm standing right here." Terra snapped.

Raven barely glanced at her, "Pack your things, Terra. Unless you want to sit here and wait for Slade to find you." She looked back at Cyborg, "We don't have any other options. We'll just watch her very closely."

Terra was shoving things into a duffel bag. "I thought you would have forgiven me. I did kill myself to bring Slade down. Even if he didn't stay down. I thought I killed him…"

"You did kill him." Raven said. "And even if we had forgiven you, the lying puts us on edge, I'm sure you understand."

"If I killed him," Terra ignored Raven's second comment, "how is he back?"

"Did you not hear me say the word 'demon'?" Raven asked.

Terra looked amazed, but quickly hid it. It seemed that after everything, she was still retained a bit of her open and carefree attitude. But she still had moments that she must have learned from Slade; parts of her were darker, more deceitful, and less trusting than before. Good, because Raven didn't trust her either.

"Ready?" Cyborg asked Terra.

"Yeah." She slung the pathetically empty bag over her shoulder. "Don't have much anymore."

Raven refused to feel sorry for her, though she disobeyed herself just a bit. "I thought you said you had Slade's money."

"I do. But it all goes to the school. I'm hoping for a scholarship or an internship to a college." Terra said as she followed them out into the street. "I only need the two uniforms and a few other clothes. I do laundry in the home ec room during lunch."

Cyborg led the way, Terra in the middle and Raven bringing up the back. Her side was getting a little sore, but she didn't make any indication. Terra wouldn't see how injured she was.

Neither of the Titans commented on her statements. Terra asked them a little about what had been going on, but they didn't reveal much, so she stopped asking. Mostly.

"How'd you bring me back?" Terra asked.

Raven stared straight ahead, "I didn't know that I did. I was busy defeating a demon."

"After Slade, was one demon so-"

Cyborg slipped in. "He was the incarnation of evil, known throughout the galaxies as the biggest bad guy ever. And he actually destroyed Raven before Robin brought her back. Then she set everything right."

"Was it bad?"

With a slight shiver, Cyborg nodded. "The world was ruined. Seas became lava, anything living became stone. There were no living things on Earth for a while, except me, Star, B and Robin. And Trigon. He even tried to send his fire army out to other planets."

"And you stopped him?" Terra turned back.

Raven ignored the incredulity that laced Terra's tone. She just glanced up, "Yes."

"Not just destroyed. She sent him back into hell, restored the entire world, and fixed the tear between the galaxies." Cyborg put it. "She had power that none of us had ever seen before."

"Sounds like you were pretty strong." Terra said.

"Yes." She replied.

They had finally reached the car, and Raven was grateful that she could sit down. Cyborg slid in after Terra had gotten into the backseat and glanced at her, just for a moment, to see if she was all right. Raven smiled slightly and motioned for him to drive.

Their patrol was uneventful, compared to the problem that was festering in the backseat. They wouldn't tell her who they were searching for, or why, so she was sulking.

It was getting dark by the time they began heading to the Tower. Raven flipped open her communicator.

"Raven?" A small image and picture showed on her screen. "Did you find-?"

"No." She interrupted. "No sign. But we have an…unexpected problem. Is Beast Boy home?"

Robin frowned, "No. He went out just a bit ago."

"You and Star should meet us in the common room. We'll explain there." Raven said curtly. She hung up before he could press her for details.

Terra finally spoke up from her forty-five minute sulk. "Why'd you ask about Beast Boy?"

Cyborg's voice was a little harsher than Raven had ever heard it, "Do you think, after everything else you've done, we're gonna let you hurt him even more?"

For the first time, she actually sounded a bit regretful, "I never meant for him to-"

"Regardless of your intentions, you did hurt him. So don't make it worse." Raven said sharply. She took a deep, quiet breath. It wouldn't do for her to go into the Tower feeling as agitated as she did. Robin and Star might be more than a little upset when they saw what Cyborg and Raven had brought home.

They parked the car, pulling off their disguises. Exchanging a quick look with Cyborg, Raven went first, leaving Cyborg to walk behind Terra, keeping an eye on her. They moved up the stairs as quickly as Raven could manage. Hopefully, Terra didn't notice that she was moving carefully and not levitating.

Raven went into the common room first, seeing Starfire and Robin waiting for them on the couch. Robin stood and immediately opened his mouth to demand an explanation, but then Terra walked in.

And his mouth just continued to hang there, with no sounds coming out. Starfire rose into the air, her hands in fists, but confusion etching her face into lines.

"Why…?" Starfire asked.

Raven leaned against the kitchen counter and Cyborg sat at the table, leaving Terra standing in the middle of the room.

"You guys remember Terra?" Cyborg asked.

"You're stone." Robin said, his eyes flashing.

"Not anymore." Terra replied, slowly putting her bag on the ground.

Robin's next question was obvious, so Raven quickly explained. "When I brought everyone back after Trigon, apparently I got _every_ one. She woke up with diminished powers and has been living in one of Slade's safe houses. Apparently he uses the name 'S. Wilson'. That might turn up a few things we didn't know." She was proud of how calm her voice was.

"Why is she here?" Starfire asked. She didn't hate Terra, or even dislike her, but she was definitely suspicious of her.

"If Slade is back, it makes sense that he would go to one of his properties. If he finds Terra…he might want revenge." Cyborg said.

Robin's frown grew, "It seems like he would want Raven more."

"Regardless," Raven said, ignoring the questioning look Terra threw at her, "she needs protection of some sort."

"You don't expect me to allow her to stay here?" Robin asked angrily.

"No." Raven shook her head. "But perhaps you know of somewhere…?"

Starfire cocked her head gently, "There is always Steel City…one of the Titans there would surely-"

"No."

They all looked at Terra. She had crossed her arms. "I have a school here. I've got good grades and I need to keep them."

"You will not stay here." Robin said coolly. It seemed he felt the same as Raven.

"Fine. Then find me somewhere else in Jump City, because it's either that or I go back to Slade's place." She glared at all of them.

"Slade could come after you, Terra." Cyborg said. "You need to be somewhere safe."

"If he even decides to come after me." She picked up her bag, "Forget this. I'm leaving. If he doesn't come after me, I'll still have my chance at college and if he does, well, you'll all have to live with that."

"We came after you to help you." Raven said, frowning.

"Yeah, by kicking me out of the city? Nice help." Terra glared at her. "I was doing just fine until you showed up."

Cyborg shook his head, "You were living in a crap house in a bad neighborhood."

"Whatever it was, it's better than having you decide my future." Terra took a step towards Raven. "Why'd you even come after me? You hate me."

"I don't hate you. I just don't trust you. And I did it because it's the right thing to do." Raven tried to keep her calm, but she could feel the resentment and anger that Terra was aiming towards her.

"So I'm a charity case?" Terra snapped.

"No. You're a citizen of Jump City. And we do our best to protect the city." She saw the flash of angry gold deepen.

She rolled her blue eyes, "Whatever. You guys couldn't stop Slade the other times he attacked. Doubtful you will this time. Am I just supposed to live out my days in some safe house in another city? You guys just want me out of here, because I'm a reminder of how badly you failed."

"Excuse me?" Cyborg asked coldly.

"We didn't fail, Terra." Robin said. Starfire just frowned.

Despite their calm tones, Raven could feel their uncertainty. Terra was making them doubt themselves? No, that would not stand. Raven was getting angry.

"If anyone failed," Raven said in a steely voice, "it would have been you. Not us."

Terra whirled on her, as Raven had anticipated. "Me? You never accepted me! You never helped me! You just tossed me out!"

"You left on your own. We offered you everything we could. You turned to Slade on your own. We didn't push you there." Raven met those yellowing eyes calmly.

"You did! It was your fault, witch!" Terra screamed, her hands glowing yellow as she advanced on Raven. Hearing the impact of stones on the window, Raven was thankful Terra didn't have her full powers. When she realized her earth-movement wasn't effective, she just jumped towards the empath. Raven shielded herself as best she could, feeling a few punches land. Then she was suddenly gone.

Robin and Cyborg were holding the blonde back, not hurting her, just restraining her. She was still yelling things at Raven, but she ignored her. Starfire was at her side, concerned.

"Did she damage you?" Starfire asked, handing Raven some paper towel.

She blotted her lip, shaking her head, "No, she-"

"Terra?"

The ragged voice had everyone turning towards the door. Beast Boy stood at the entrance, a small dark bag in his hand. He stared at the scene in front of him, figuring out what happened in a moment.

Terra stopped yelling and fighting the boys, staring at the changeling. "Beast Boy." She said quietly.

He smiled, but it was wrong, "So you remember now?"

"I'm sorry…I just…" She hung her head, looking pitiful.

He started down the steps slowly, staring at her. Raven felt sad, for a reason she couldn't explain. She didn't look as Beast Boy approached Terra, and focused on wiping the rest of the blood off of her face. Luckily, Terra had only split her lip and maybe bruised her shoulder, nothing lasting. Raven sighed, dropping the blood-splattered paper to the floor and trying to make her way to her feet.

"Are you okay?"

She jumped, not realizing that Beast Boy had not gone to Terra. Instead, he had come to Raven. She took his proffered hand, letting him help her up.

"I'm fine." Raven said quietly.

"She hurt you?" He asked, emerald eyes going to her mouth.

Raven shook her head, touching her lip. "I'm fine." She repeated.

"Why is she here?" His voice was quiet, but the common room was silent, so it carried.

Terra heard him clearly, "Beast Boy, I-"

He growled without turning around, "I'm not asking you."

The common room went silent at his anger; he rarely lost control if they weren't in a fight.

"I brought her here." Raven answered.

That surprised him, "Why?"

"She was living in one of Slade's properties. She thought he was still dead."

With those two sentences, he understood everything. That was what could be impressive about Beast Boy – he was either too dense for words, or he understood everything without an explanation.

"Is she staying here?" It was obvious that he didn't like the idea.

Robin jumped in, now that Beast Boy's voice was a bit calmer. "That's what we were discussing when you arrived."

"Is that what you were doing?" He finally faced Terra, stepping back a bit to stand next to Raven and Star, "Looked more like you were trying to keep Terra from attacking Raven."

Terra flushed, "She was saying things about me, they were-"

"They were all true." Starfire said, her eyes glinting green. "You tried to blame us for your failures and Raven would not let you."

"I…" Terra trailed off, hanging her head once more. "I'm sorry, wi-Raven."

They all noticed the slip, but Raven nodded anyway. Truly, Raven didn't care what Terra called her. It was that she had been trying to make the others feel bad.

"I'm going to make some phone calls. Regardless of how you feel about us, you do need to be protected. Maybe there's someone who has children at Murakami who can help." Robin said suddenly. He let go of Terra, moving to the giant computer. Within moments he was on the phone, talking to someone.

Beast Boy turned back to the girls, "How was the mall, Star?"

She seemed surprised that he would ask, but smiled widely, "It was wondrous. We went to the arcade and had lunch at a bar of salad and then," her voice dropped to a whisper, "Robin bought me a flower."

Raven couldn't help a small smile at Star's obvious pleasure. Despite the tension in the room, it was good to know that she was still as happy as before.

"And where did you go, friend Beast Boy? You disappeared quite suddenly."

He smiled, "I was just picking up a few things." The bag he dropped at the doors looked familiar, but Raven could only think of one place it would come from, and it was definitely not a place Beast Boy would shop.

Robin hung up the phone suddenly. "Well. I've got good news and bad news." He looked at them all calmly. "Good news: there's a place for Terra to stay, in town, with other students. It's an exchange student housing place, but they've agreed to let you move in for as long as you'll need it. You'll have your own bedroom, share the bathroom and kitchen. The Titans will cover the living and schooling costs, but they can arrange for you to have a part-time job cleaning in order to earn more money."

"Better than you had before." Cyborg noted.

"It is better than you deserve." Starfire said, angry for one of the few times in her life. Raven was startled to hear such emotion from the alien.

"The bad news?" Beast Boy asked.

"They can't take her until tomorrow afternoon." Robin said. He glanced at the blonde, who was standing so quietly, "You will sleep in here tonight. One of us will always be here. You may be sorry for what you've done, but it's clear that you still can't be trusted."

"Fine." Terra said. "As long as I'm out of here in the morning."

"Believe me," Beast Boy said coldly as he walked past her and out into the hall, "we don't want you here any longer than that."

"Beast Boy!" Terra called after him.

He was already gone.


	7. Rifle

Beast Boy turned up the stereo loudly. He had grown out of his rap phase and into music that suited him. Every song was always happy in the beat and the tone, but the lyrics…they were the things that he could really connect to. He was always happy, even if he felt like screaming. Like now.

Somehow, he discerned a knock through all of the blaring trumpets. He turned it down, opening the door.

Raven stood outside, looking emotionless as always. Beast Boy found that the more he got to know her, the less emotionless she appeared. Like now, her hands were holding the edge of her cloak and there was a faint line on her forehead. She was worried. About him?

"Hey." He said. He stepped back, though he wasn't sure that she was stoop to entering his room. She did.

She listened to the lyrics and the music for a moment, "Appropriate."

"They're always appropriate." He smiled, glad that she wasn't jumping right into the problem that was currently camping out on their couch.

"Who are they?" She asked, seemingly interested.

"Reel Big Fish…ska music."

"It's…different." She said, cocking her head to listen closer.

Her movement revealed her split lip clearly and Beast Boy's anger surged once again. Terra had come into his home and hurt his friends? It was unacceptable! He should go upstairs and tell her to leave right now, forget Slade!

"Beast Boy."

The gentle voice brought him back. Slowly, he calmed his breathing, loosening his fists.

"So you brought her here?" He asked.

Raven almost looked uncomfortable. "Yes. I'm sorry."

"Why?" He turned back towards the stereo, staring at it, "It was the right thing to do."

"For her. And it was right that the Titans did it. But that doesn't mean it was right for me to do that to you." Her gravely voice was low. "I was trying to make it so you wouldn't even have to know."

"I'm the one who should have done it…not brought you all into it."

"You didn't bring me into it. I was healing you and saw things in your head and I wanted to help. I did the research and went to her house." She paused. "Just because you and Terra had a relationship, it doesn't make you responsible for her for the rest of her life."

"I feel like I am. If I hadn't gotten involved, none of this would have happened. You wouldn't have felt like you needed to help her. We wouldn't be footing her bill."

Raven was quiet for so long that he thought she had left. When he turned to check, she was standing there with her arms crossed.

"You're ridiculous." She said, her voice normal.

"What?" This wasn't exactly the gentle pep talk that he had been expecting.

She arched a brow, "You try to take responsibility for things that weren't your fault. Did you ask me to do any of this?"

"Well, no, but you did it because-"

"I did it because I'm a Titan. We help people, even those who we'd rather not help. When I found out where she was living, I had a duty as a Titan to help her. And that's the end of it."

"Then why'd you try to hide it from me?"

"Because I'm also your friend. I know what she put you through and I didn't want her to have a chance to do it again." She said it matter-of-factly.

Beast Boy smiled, Raven was right, of course. He couldn't blame himself because someone he once knew acted poorly. He couldn't force Terra to be nice or act differently. He could only choose not to be around her.

With his good mood suddenly restored, Beast Boy grabbed a small black plastic bag from his desk and passed it over to Raven. "Here."

She stared at it for a moment, obviously recognizing the logo. It had taken Beast Boy quite a while to find something that he thought she would like, but once he told the clerk who it was for, she had directed him to the perfect gift.

Raven took the bag with a small frown. "What's this for?"

"Because you've been feeling down." He grinned.

She reached into the bag, pulling out a thick black mug. It was very plain, only decorated on one side with a small silver raven. She stared at it for a while, not saying anything.

Worried that he had done something wrong, his ears drooped, "You don't like it? I can take it back. I just thought…"

"No." She was quiet. "I like it."

He bounced back immediately. "Good."

She held the mug, glancing up with a faint flush on her cheeks. "I should go."

"I thought we could hang out for a bit. I could educate you on music." He smiled.

"I would like that. But I can't."

"Why?"

Raven touched her cape, "I have to watch Terra. Robin is on his patrol, Cyborg is double and triple coding all of our computers and Starfire…she just sort of flew off after you left."

"When do I have to watch her?" He asked, a small pit forming in her stomach.

"You don't. We figured it would be best…" She trailed off.

Beast Boy considered his options. "And you're watching her now. Alone."

Raven nodded.

"After she tried to hurt you."

"I doubt she'll try again."

Beast Boy turned off his stereo, leaving his room suddenly quiet. "I'll come with you."

"You really don't need to. I can handle her." Raven said.

"I know. But I'd feel better."

She turned away, "Suit yourself."

He followed her, not entirely sure why he had offered to stay with her to watch Terra. The last thing he wanted to do was see the blonde again. Yet here he was, heading towards her.

There was a loud crash from Starfire's room. The duo turned and hurried towards it. Beast Boy got there first, and banged on the door. "Star! Are you okay?"

Raven reached the door just as it slid open, revealing a sheepish looking Starfire.

"Oh! Hello, friends." She smiled.

Beast Boy looked past her and saw that her bed looked like it had been thrown across the room to land on its side by the window.

"Uh, everything all right?" Raven asked, looking at the bed.

"Of course. I am just…rearranging!" She smiled.

Raven continued in her deadpan. "By rearranging do you mean throwing a tantrum?"

"No, I threw a bed."

Beast Boy smiled. "As long as you're okay."

"I am fine." She smiled.

They said goodbye and headed up to the common room. Despite his decision, Beast Boy felt himself hesitate at the doors.

Raven glanced at him, "I'll be fine, Beast Boy. Go back to your room."

He shook his head. "No, I'm okay." With that, he walked into the common room.

Terra was sitting on the couch, her arms crossed and frowning. Beast Boy only glanced at her. How had he thought she was ever pretty? Her anger and disgust was clear in her expression. Biting back a sigh, Beast Boy followed Raven to the kitchen counter. The empath carefully placed her new mug in the cabinet; he was glad she liked it.

"Beast Boy?"

Terra had noticed him. He looked over to her, acknowledging her question, but not actually answering. She stood up, moving behind the couch to come closer.

"I didn't think I'd see you before I left." She said gently, smiling the way she used to. She pushed her hair back behind her ear, watching him.

Those little things used to make him smile. Now he felt as if anything she did had an ulterior motive. Maybe they didn't, but he truly couldn't bring himself to believe it.

She laughed quietly, "Are you even going to talk to me?"

"I don't really see the point." He finally replied, moving past her to sit at the kitchen table.

"Come on, BB." Terra said, following him. She sat next to him. "You can't just ignore me. I said I was-"

"That's Raven's seat." He interrupted her.

Raven looked startled at being mentioned, but she took Beast Boy's less than subtle hint and approached. He didn't want to be any closer to her than he had to be, and Raven's presence might make Terra less likely to try and talk to him.

Terra looked angry for a moment, "I'm sure Raven wouldn't mind if I sat here for now."

"I do, actually." Raven said calmly.

The blonde glared at Raven. Obviously her hatred for the empath far outweighed Terra's feelings for the other Titans. Beast Boy wondered why she hated Raven so much more than the others. "Fine." She stood up, shoving herself away from the table. Raven took the seat quietly, watching as Terra stomped around the table and sat across from Beast Boy.

"BB, come on. You have to talk to me."

"Not really." He replied, looking past her.

Terra frowned, "So you just expect me to sit here quietly for the three hours you're here?"

"I doubt you could stay quiet for three hours." Beast Boy responded. He didn't really know where that comment had come from, but it wasn't untrue. Terra could certainly chat.

A small laugh had Beast Boy and Terra looking at Raven. The former was wearing a surprised smile and the latter with a glare. Raven shrugged, smiling a bit.

Terra leaned back in her chair, glancing between the two of them. "So, what? You two are a couple now?"

Beast Boy was shocked at her suggestion. Although most of him reeled at the thought, a very tiny part of him didn't seem too shocked or put off by the idea. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he might-

"No." He said firmly. "We're friends."

Raven nodded, though a bit belatedly. She glanced at Beast Boy and then away.

Terra smiled, "Good. Because you could do so much better than her."

"You think you're better than Raven?" He asked, a bit harshly. He felt Raven tense a bit, obviously uncomfortable.

The blonde smiled and shrugged, "Maybe."

"And just what makes you better? The lying? The betrayal? Joining with Slade? The attempts on our lives?" He laughed coolly, "Yeah, you're way out in front."

"I can make you laugh." Terra said. "And I actually treat you well, rather than threats and glares." She threw a mean look at Raven, "Besides, I'm actually human and she's…well. Just look at her."

Raven glanced up, her face expressionless. "I am sitting right here." She said to Terra.

"Yeah, on the outskirts, as usual. You never wanted to be a part of this group. You are always alone and always treating everyone badly." Terra retorted. "Maybe it's because you don't really belong. I mean, you're half demon. You're never going to be a good person."

Raven flinched slightly, but gave no other indication she was bothered.

Beast Boy was getting very, very angry. Terra was attacking the very insecurities that Raven had admitted to him only days ago. Even if she kept calm here, it was hurting her.

"So what's your excuse, Terra?" He snapped. "Raven's half demon and she still tries to save people. Even people who don't deserve it. You're all human, so shouldn't you have done good instead of attacking us?"

"I was coerced by Slade. He used-"

"You went to him willingly. You knew that you were going to betray us and you came back here and stole all of our secrets. Don't try to blame him for your weakness." His voice was harsh- all the pent up pain and anger he had against Terra was rushing out in one short conversation. "You used us to get power. You used us and tossed us aside. You tried to kill us!"

He was standing and not entirely sure how he got there. Terra jumped to her feet, "I was only supposed to get rid of her!" She pointed at Raven. "The rest of you just got in the way too often and Slade had me take all of you out!"

This was something new. "Why Raven?" He asked.

"Because she's wrong! She shouldn't even be here!" Terra slammed her fist down on the table.

Raven was still sitting calmly, watching Terra with eyes that almost looked amused.

"What about Starfire, or Cyborg?"

"Starfire is a different species, that's completely different. And Cyborg is all human, just with robotic parts."

"And me?" He shot.

Terra calmed a bit. "You're special. Just because you have this power, it doesn't mean you're not all human."

Beast Boy laughed. He had thought Terra had understood him? How wrong he had been. He stared at Terra, letting his mind shift a bit, letting more and more of the animal out. He knew she finally understood when she gasped and stumbled back a few steps. "Raven isn't the only one who is only half human." It came out as a growl. And his animal enjoyed the fear coming off of Terra. It relished in the revenge he was finally getting.

A gentle hand touched his arm. He glanced over, angry that someone had interrupted his enjoyment. Raven stood next to him, serene and calm. There was no hint of fear or anger on her, only understanding. He pushed the animal back once more, almost feeling his eyes return to normal. When he looked up again, Raven smiled slightly and then returned to her seat.

"Why did Slade want you to get rid of me?" Her voice was completely level. It centered Beast Boy, letting him sit down again calmly. Terra stayed away, standing awkwardly.

She looked at Raven, still a little pale. "I wasn't supposed to kill you or anything. He wanted me to bring you to him."

"Why? What would I have possibly done for him?"

Terra shrugged, "I don't know. He was looking through old books and said you were the one he needed. I don't think he expected you to help willingly."

The empath nodded, completely at ease.

"Do you remember any of the books he looked at?" Beast Boy asked suddenly.

Terra shook her head, "They were all really old. With weird names. One of them…it was something like…Ravinaticam…? Revencecatum…?"

"_The Revenanticorum_." Raven said with recognition, something almost like worry crossing her face. "Slade was reading _the Revenanticorum_?"

"Yeah, that's what it was called." Terra frowned. "What is it?"

"It's a very old text…dark magics…" Raven stood and even began pacing. Beast Boy had rarely ever seen her so worked up and got uneasy just watching her.

"What is it, Raven?"

She glanced at him, frowning, "Beast Boy, can you go to my room and get the book I was reading the other day? _The Grimault_? Get that and my mirror. Please. Now."

He stared at her, astonished, "It's that bad?"

Raven met his gaze, "It's worse. Please, Beast Boy."

He nodded, racing out of the room. Something was horribly, horribly wrong.

Beast Boy left quickly, Raven heard him running down the hallways. A moment later, a cheetah's growl echoed through the Tower. Raven pulled out her communicator.

"I need everyone in the common room. Now." She said into it. Robin answered first.

"My patrol has just started, Raven, I have to finish it, if Slade-"

"I may know what Slade's up to, Robin. You need to get back here."

She couldn't see his expression through his helmet, but his voice made his worry clear. "Something bad?"

"Worse than ever."

"I'll be back in a few minutes.

Cyborg and Starfire rushed through the doors at about the same time, Star with her bolts prepared and Cyborg's cannon aimed at Terra.

"No!" Raven yelled, stepping between them. "It's not her."

They both calmed, though Star still looked upset.

"What's going on, Rae?" Cyborg asked. They came in, leaning on the counter.

"Terra was telling us about her time with Slade, and she mentioned a book he had been studying." This wasn't entirely true and Terra glanced at her in confusion. "She mentioned that he had formed some sort of plan involving me, but when he couldn't get to me, he instead attacked all of us." Again, it negated Terra's hand in the crimes, but Raven didn't care about that just now. If Terra was right, they were in for more trouble than just one angry teenager.

"What use would Slade have had for you?" Starfire asked.

"If I'm correct, it's very, very bad." Raven looked to the door, hearing Beast Boy approach in human form. "And if he's back, it seems like he might attempt it once more."

"What-" Cyborg was interrupted when Beast Boy returned.

He dashed across the room, handing Raven both the book and her meditation mirror. She threw open the book, uncaring for once about the fragile spine. She flipped through the pages – she had read about it only a few days ago! Where was that passage?

"Raven…?" Beast Boy asked from her side. "What's going on?"

"I think," she read a few lines before turning the page, "that Slade and Trigon's alliance wasn't out of coincidence. I believe that Slade was…interested in those types of things before he joined Trigon…" She scanned the page, jabbing her finger down. "Found it!"

She began to read through it, but Starfire interrupted, "Please, Raven, tell us what is said about this book."

Raven glanced up, unsure, but nodded. "It's not in English, so forgive the awkward translation…:

'_Of _the Revenanticorum_, small pieces only are known. It has been mentioned in the oldest of ancient texts, the idea of the revenants. This foul text gives instructions on how to raise up polluted beings of horrible visage and grotesque appetites for flesh, for blood, for entrails, for…' _Raven skipped over the more disgusting descriptions,_ 'and for the souls of living entities. It is said that the goddess Ishtar gained entrance to the gates of Hell, by threatening the gatekeeper. She said that if she was not allowed admittance, '__I shall raise up the dead and they shall eat the living./ I shall make the dead outnumber the living.' If _the Revenanticorum_ is ever put to use, that world shall exist no more and the skies will bleed with the screams of the living and the cries of the dead. They shall sweep across the land like a plague, these disembodied creatures of the Hellworld…_'"

Raven stopped there. She stared at the page, eyes drawn to the phrases she hadn't read to her friends. "_The world shall become a hell…unstoppable, insatiable, without reason…they shall feed and rend and tear and rip…nothing will escape…cannot be fought or contained, the only solution is to never release them from their shackles of mind and manacles of fire._"

"How would Slade have raised these beings?" Starfire asked, her hands at her throat. Raven couldn't blame her, just these words frightened her, let alone the idea of these things actually being released.

"There's a small story of how they were created and contained…if you all can stand to hear it." Raven said, finding the correct paragraph.

Beast Boy nodded, "If there's even a chance we could be going up against these things, it makes sense to know as much as possible." The others nodded, even Terra.

Raven looked back to the page, "In this, the Devil is called the _inimicus infestans_, the ravaging enemy…_and the _inimicus infestans_ looked upon his adversary in disdain. He grabbed corpses of those who had fallen and breathed into them not the breath of life, but the void of death. They attacked his enemies, these revenants, these creatures of nothing. They were nothing but craved everything, tearing the limbs off of his foes and drinking the blood and the marrow, cracking the bones. When they could feast no more on their bodies, they tore up their souls, leaving nothing behind. When the _inimicus infestans_ saw what they had done, he laughed at the destruction. It was absolute. Reminded of their creator, the revenants turned and leapt upon him as rabid dogs. They tore at his flesh, drinking his fluids. They could not destroy him completely, because he was of the demons and had no soul to be torn from him. Batting them away, the _inimicus infestans_ created a cage out of his mind and the fire that left his veins like blood. They were confined, but not defeated, for nothing could defeat them, not even their creator. They could only be released by the blood of a demon, though none have done so, knowing that to release these creatures would be to end everything, even themselves, until none but the revenants remained…_'

She cleared her throat. That passage always bothered her. To know that even the hellfiends refused to release these creatures.

"Why would Slade want to release these things?" Cyborg asked, "Sounds like they would destroy him, too."

"He thinks he's invincible." Terra said quietly. It seemed that she was finally seeing things clearly.

"And after surviving the lava and the Trigon and regaining his body, he must be even more convinced of his superiority." Starfire said quietly.

Raven nodded.

"So…" Beast Boy said suddenly, "these revenants…they're basically zombies?"

She considered his question a moment. "In some ways. But they have no corporeal body and-"

"Corporeal?" Beast Boy asked.

"No physical body. They're like ghosts. And zombies only eat your body and brains, I believe. These things eat your soul and turn you into one of them. They destroy you completely." Raven said quietly.

"And demon blood…" Cyborg said.

Raven glanced back at the book, "I'm the only partial demon I know. But I'm not certain I'd be enough." She picked up her mirror. "Maybe another part of me will know more…"

"You're going into Nevermore?" Beast Boy asked.

Raven seated herself in her lotus position, "I have to."

"Hurry back, Robin's going to be here soon." Cyborg said.

She nodded, looking into her mirror and falling through with ease. It wasn't her magic that let her go into her mind, it was her meditation. She had gone here so many times that it was second nature.

Raven opened her eyes, seeing the landscape differently. Whenever she arrived, it was always somewhere different. She was in her maze now, which was appropriate seeing as how she was confused.

"Wisdom! Knowledge!" She called out. As she expected, her emotions appeared in front of her.

"Pleasant to see us again." Knowledge said.

"Glad to see we're doing well." Wisdom added.

"You know about the revenants. Would my blood be enough?" Raven asked. It wasn't as if she needed to explain everything – her emotions were her and they knew everything she did.

"We know everything that you know." Knowledge said annoyingly.

Raven nodded, "And?"

"You know that your blood is as demon as is needed to release the revenants." Wisdom told her.

Raven sighed, she had feared so, but she had hoped…

And there Hope was, right in front of her in all her periwinkle blue glory. "Hello."

"Hello, Hope. Feeling all right?" Raven asked dispassionately.

"Better than usual." She smiled.

Despite all of her trips into Nevermore, it was still odd for Raven to see herself smiling. "Thanks for the clarification, Wisdom and Knowledge. See you later, Hope."

Her emotions waved at her as Raven faded back into her own body. When she opened her eyes and saw that Robin had returned, she tried to stand quickly. Raven reeled a little bit, slightly dizzy. Beast Boy was already at her side, steadying her.

"Thanks." She said to him.

"What did they say?"

"My blood would be enough." Raven said simply.

Robin had apparently been filled in on everything while she was gone. He looked over to her, "If you're what Slade is after, we need to seriously consider a few things."

Raven frowned, "Like what?"

Robin glanced at Terra, "In your…condition, if Slade caught up to you, you wouldn't be able to fend him off on your own."

"So I won't go on patrols anymore." Raven shrugged. "At least, not until I'm better."

"Slade has made it into the Tower before." Robin said. "And he'll definitely expect you to be here."

Raven saw where this was going, "So you want me to leave the Tower and go somewhere else?" She tried to keep her voice calm.

"I think it might be the best option. Slade won't know where to look and you'll be able to recover. Once you're better, you can come back." He wasn't apologetic, but she didn't expect him to be.

He wasn't necessarily wrong, but where did he expect her to go? She couldn't even return to Azarath without her powers. "Where should I go?" She finally asked, resigned to the idea.

"Robin, I'm not sure this is such a good idea." Cyborg said, concerned.

"Surely, there would be another way of protecting Raven." Starfire hovered off the ground.

Beast Boy was quiet, watching the exchanges. Raven noticed a moss green color surrounding him, but focused on her own problem.

Robin sighed, "I don't like this, but I'm not sure we have another option. Slade's gotten in here before. And if Raven is unprotected…"

"So how is making her leave any better?" Cyborg asked.

"Because Slade won't know where to look for her. She's never lived anywhere but the Tower, at least while she was on Earth." Robin said. "If she isn't here, where would he start looking?"

"The other Titans." Cyborg said. "So that means she can't stay with anyone we know."

Robin nodded and Raven's stomach clenched. Now she had to stay with some stranger?

"Robin, I'm not exactly the most natural looking person. So wherever I go, I'll have to stay inside all the time." Raven hoped her voice sounded neutral.

"No." Cyborg said, frowning, "If you have to go somewhere, I'll make sure you can at least go outside if you want. I've got hologram rings around here, I could alter one for you."

"If Cyborg does his hologram," Terra began, not pausing when all eyes turned to her, "maybe the best place for Raven to be would be in Murakami."

Raven tried not to blanch. Now she had to go to school with a bunch of judgmental and insolent teenagers? With Terra? How much did the Titans expect her to give up for this? Raven felt guilty for that thought. They had the entire world to consider; her feelings were not that much of consequence. She would do whatever it took to protect her friends.

She swallowed hard, "That's a good idea." She knew her voice was strained. "With a different appearance and a fake name, I could easily be a student. Slade wouldn't expect that."

"Unless someone informed him once she was out of our sight." Starfire looked at Terra, blatantly making sure everyone knew who she was referring to.

Raven was surprised at Starfire's anger at Terra. So was everyone else.

Terra held up her hands, "Even if I knew where to find him, why would I help him? I tried to kill him and I'm pretty sure he'd take that personally. And ending the world doesn't exactly sound that fun."

Raven stared at the blonde, sharing a long look. "She's telling the truth. She won't inform Slade."

With those two sentences, something changed between Terra and Raven. They may never be friends, but they wouldn't be enemies any longer. They had an understanding.

Robin ran his hand through his hair, "Well…I guess there's no point in waiting. Raven, tomorrow morning, you'll go with Terra to the exchange student housing. I'll talk to them tonight, leaving out your real name. What would you like to go as?"

Tomorrow? Raven hadn't expected it to be this soon. But it made sense. "For the last name, Roth. It's what my mother went by before…before Trigon. But, I…" She shrugged.

Robin was upset about this, so it was with an apologetic voice that he suggested, "Rachel?"

She shrugged. "Why not." There was an awkward silence while Robin created a new life for her. The rest of the team was watching her, upset. She couldn't handle the emotions that reeled around her, "I guess I should go pack." She picked up her mirror and her book, backing toward the door.

No one stopped her as she left. Raven got to her room as quickly as she could, shutting and locking the door behind her. She moved over to her bed, sitting down and taking deep breaths. A few tears managed to escape anyway, though she fought to keep any more from falling.

"Crying won't solve anything." She reprimanded herself. Slowly, she stood and gathered up a small bag. She didn't have many normal clothes, and definitely no uniforms. At least tomorrow would be Sunday, so she'd have some time to get a school uniform. Within two minutes, all of her appropriate clothes were packed. She placed her mirror carefully on top and then zipped up the pathetically small bag. And that was it. She couldn't really take anything else. None of her books or pictures. None of her real clothes or her bed covers. Nothing that she could find any solace in, because it could be used to identify her. Despite the need for secrecy, she turned off her communicator and put it in her bag, too. If Slade were to miraculously find her, she would need back up. With a few moments of hesitation, she also put in the Grimault book.

Without anything else to do, she laid back on her bed. She could feel the catch in her breathing, indicating she was going to cry more. She slammed her fist on her comforter.

"It's not forever. It's just until I get my powers back. A week and a few days. That's all."

She wasn't convincing herself. Perhaps it was only for a week or two, but she would be completely cut off from the Titans. She wouldn't even be a Titan anymore. She'd be Rachel Roth. High school student. Normal teenager.

She laughed a bit. As if she could ever pass as a normal teenager. Even with a hologram for her skin and hair, she wouldn't be normal.

There was a quiet knock on her door. Raven thought about not answering it, but she did anyway. Beast Boy stood on the other side, that moss green color mixing with a teal.

"I don't like this idea." He said without preamble.

Raven couldn't smile or shrug. "It makes sense."

"You'd be safer here."

"Maybe. But Robin thinks I'll be safer hidden away as Rachel." The name sounded wrong on her tongue.

"He's been wrong before."

She didn't answer.

"You won't be completely cut off, I'll come and visit you." He said, trying to smile.

Raven shook her head. "That's probably a bad idea."

"Why?"

"Because if Slade notices a certain green Titan visiting the school, he might make the connection. You'd put Terra in danger, too." Raven said without emotion.

"But you'll be alone." He frowned.

"I figured that out myself." She sighed, rubbing her temple.

"Headache?" He asked, concerned.

"A bit. I'm probably just going to get to sleep."

He hung his head, "I brought you this, if you want to take it."

Raven took what he offered. It was the mug he had given her earlier, but there were two plastic bags in it. One had her particular blend of tea and the other held a small amount of cinnamon.

She smiled a little, it was nice to know he could be so thoughtful. "Thanks, Beast Boy."

He met her eyes, "You won't forget us while you're all normal, will you?"

"I don't think I could if I tried. And normal isn't really my thing."

He shuffled his feet a bit, "Just remember, you're coming back here as soon as you can. And then everything will be okay."

Raven nodded, that's definitely a thought she would have to hold on to in the coming days.

It happened suddenly, too quickly for her to back up or close the door. Beast Boy leaned forward, pulling her into a hug. Unprepared, she didn't really respond, but she couldn't help but notice that it felt nice. He was stronger than he looked and he felt solid to her. He squeezed her just a bit and then released her, all too hurriedly for her to react. He stepped back, "G'night." He sped down the halls away from her.

"Night." Raven closed her door, holding the mug. What had just happened? And why did she want it to happen again?


	8. Hunter

Raven's night was spent awake and worried. She couldn't manage to sleep. When she had first come to Earth, she had felt like this, but a little less so. She was the one who had made the decision to come here. Murakami was decided by her friends. She knew it was all out of fear for her safety, but still…

Raven had never truly belonged anywhere but the Tower. She was wrong…too tainted to be a human and too kind to be a demon. Only those that got to know her truly ever accepted her, and there weren't many of them left. Just the Titans.

She rose early, or stayed up late, whichever. She pulled on a similar outfit to the one the other day, but with a blue jacket instead of a sweatshirt. Making her bed with care, she put her leotard on top of it. To wait for her to get back. Feeling a little foolish, Raven picked up her small bag and walked to the common room.

Cyborg was already there, looking pleased with himself, though exhausted. When Raven walked in, he handed her a small silver ring.

"Here you go. I spent all night on it." He grinned widely.

Raven looked at the tiny circle. She was slightly repulsed by the idea of hiding herself, but she looked at Cyborg's face and slid it on.

Terra, from her seat on the couch, gasped audibly. Raven wasn't suite certain what had happened. She looked down at her hands-

They were…normal. Not grey. She most certainly was pale, but she wasn't grey. She looked up at Cyborg. His pride seemed a bit diminished, but he handed her a mirror.

"Take a look."

Raven took the mirror carefully. Her hands weren't shaking, but she was still nervous. Slowly, and with a deep breath, she looked in the mirror.

It was as if someone had taken a picture of her and just altered the colors. Her face was still the same, her hair was still cut the same way, but it was all different.

Instead of violet eyes, they were a deep brown color, with small flecks of indigo. Her hair was no longer purple and blue, but a thick curtain of black. And her skin…she couldn't get over her normal colored skin. She looked like a normal person.

"Whoa…" Terra said, standing up. Raven handed the mirror back to Cyborg, she didn't need to look any longer.

"I look normal." She said calmly.

Cyborg shook his head, "To me, you look different. This isn't you, Raven." He sounded put out at having made her this way.

Unable to see him so down, Raven tried to give him a small smile, "I'm not Raven anymore. I'm Rachel Roth, remember?"

Cyborg didn't return the smile, he turned away, as if the sight of her repelled him.

Raven swallowed hard, closing her eyes for a minute.

"You'll fit in just fine at school." Terra said, even giving Raven a small smile.

Raven nodded, "Thanks."

The door slid open behind them, and Raven turned and saw the rest of the Titans standing there.

"You…you are changed." Starfire said haltingly.

Robin tried to get rid of the frown, "It looks very convincing."

Beast Boy just gaped.

"That hologram will cover you, as long as you have that ring on. It's waterproof, heat resistant, pressure stabilized…"

"I'm going to high school, Cyborg. Not the bottom of the ocean." Raven said calmly. She looked up at her friends, "Can we just get this over with?"

With solemn faces, they all headed to the garage. They were taking the DeSoto today, attempting at being in conspicuous.

"Robin will walk you two in," Cyborg explained as he drove through the city, "since he's the one who made the call."

"The moment that you are feeling…refreshed, Raven, you should return to the Tower. I fear that no matter how quickly you recover, it will be too long." Starfire hung her head.

"Definitely." It was the first word Beast Boy had spoken all day.

Raven nodded, not entirely trusting her voice.

Far, far too soon, they pulled up outside the housing for exchange students. Raven glanced to her friends.

"Bye."

Starfire hugged her tightly, "I shall miss you terribly."

Patting her awkwardly on the back, Raven managed to say, "I'll miss you, too."

"Don't let anyone give you trouble, all right? Otherwise I'll come down and make them regret it."

"Thanks, Cyborg."

Beast Boy watched her carefully, "Come back soon."

She nodded. Robin stepped out of the car, "Come on, girls."

Terra and Raven followed him out. Raven could feel the looks of her friends on her back, but didn't turn around. If she did, she might not have the strength to leave.

Robin knocked on the door. The building looked nice enough. The small yard in front was clean, a few cars parked in the driveway. The door opened widely, an older woman smiling at them.

"Come in! You must be the new girls. I'm Mary. Come in!" She was thin, with a pinched face, but she seemed friendly enough. Even overly so. Raven and Terra stepped a bit further in, seeing a few other students hanging out by the staircase, watching them.

"Let's see, you're Terra Markov." Mary said, holding out her hand to shake. Terra took it with an easy smile.

"That's me."

"And you're Rachel…?"

"Roth." Raven said.

"And Robin here was a bit vague on where you were from. You don't seem to have an accent…"

Raven thought quickly, where would be an unlikely place? "Romania."

"Really? We have another exchange student from Romania. Timotei! Come here and meet Rachel!"

Raven felt Robin tense behind her, seeing his protective red begin to shine. He was worried. He shouldn't be.

Timotei approached. He was very tall, with wavy brown hair and a rather prominent brow. His blue eyes appraised her. "You are from Romania?"

Raven nodded.

He didn't look convinced, "_Tu nu vorbesc ca daca esti din România_." He said in flawless Romanian. Robin stepped forward, but Raven didn't need him to.

"_Am trait pe o bază americană_." She spoke calmly.

"_Accent ta este uimitor. Eu nu pot spune că nu sunteţi un nativ român_."

"_Mulţumesc_." She inclined her head just a bit.

Timotei no longer looked suspicious, he smiled and backed up. "Pardon my interruption." He said to Mary.

She smiled, "No worries, Timotei. It's good that you're making friends." She turned back to the girls, "Now, since Rachel was a bit last minute, you girls are going to have to share a room for a few weeks. A few of the other students are dropping out of the program, so there will be some more space after that."

"That's fine." Raven said. She would not be here for more than two weeks.

Mary nodded, "Good. Now, I'm sure Robin has much better things to do, so we should say goodbye and let him get back to his day."

Terra turned to the boy wonder, "Thank you. For everything. And I'm really sorry."

Robin stared at her for a moment and then nodded. "If you need anything, just give me a call." He turned to Raven. "Ra…chel. Take care."

"Thanks." Raven said, not wanted to reveal anything to Mary or the other students.

Robin said goodbye to Mary, and then headed toward the open door. Raven could make out the silhouettes of her friends in the DeSoto. She tried to smile, but it wasn't working. She thought she saw Starfire wave, but it could have just been a shadow. Robin walked through the door and closed it behind him, leaving Raven behind.

* * *

Beast Boy leaned his head on the window, watching the building as they pulled away. It was silent in the car and Beast Boy couldn't take it.

"This is wrong." He said suddenly.

Starfire looked at him, her green eyes completely in agreement.

"We don't have another option." Robin argued, though he didn't sound very convinced.

"That might be true," Cyborg said from the wheel, "but that doesn't mean this isn't wrong. It's like we're abandoning her just because she doesn't have any powers."

"What's not what we're doing." Robin said angrily. "We don't abandon our team."

"So if Raven had her powers, would you have suggested this?" Beast Boy asked from behind Robin.

Robin's shoulders tensed, "I know you hate this plan, but it's the best way to keep Raven safe until she's well enough to protect herself."

"This high school," Starfire spoke up, "it shall not be too stressful on Raven, will it?"

The boys fell silent.

"Please, will she enjoy it?"

"You'd enjoy it, Star." Beast Boy said. "But Raven doesn't really like most people. And she's an empath. Stuck in a building with a bunch of teenagers."

She still looked confused.

"Imagine…imagine Cyborg in a room with a hundred super strong magnets." He tried, "What would happen to him?"

"His electrical wiring would be unable to withstand being pulled in so many directions. He could possibly explode." She gasped and shrieked, "Raven is going to explode?"

"Way to go, B." Cyborg muttered. "She's not going to explode."

"Then she will be pulled in a hundred directions?"

"What Beast Boy is trying to say," Robin glared as he turned back in his seat, "is that Raven will have a hard time with all of those minds. But she knows how to shield and she-"

"She can't shield." Beast Boy said monotonously.

"What?" Robin looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Beast Boy met his leader's gaze. "She can't shield out people right now. Not without her powers. That's why she's been in her room more lately. Because even with just the four of us, she was getting headaches from all of our emotions. She, she said it was like we were all screaming at her, all the time. And now she's going to high school."

"Why didn't she tell us?" Robin sighed, sitting properly in his seat.

Beast Boy replied, "Because she's Raven. She believes that her feelings and well-being don't matter when compared to others."

They all knew that to be true. Raven would never come out and say she was feeling anything, not unless they bugged her incessantly. She would fight until there was nothing left in her, just to keep the others safe. They had seen it only days ago with the shifting creature.

"She'll be okay," Cyborg reassured them. "She's smarter than all of us and she only needs to make it for a week or so. Only five days of classes."

Robin nodded, "Cyborg's right. We need to focus on Slade, anyway. He's our target. The faster we find and stop him, the faster everything will go back to normal."

Beast Boy leaned his head against the window once more. Down a Titan, what hope would they have for defeating Slade? He and Starfire shared a look, both of their thoughts the same.

The rest of that day and the next was spent on patrols and trying and failing to pretend nothing was wrong. They were all quiet when they ate dinner, heading off to their rooms quickly. It was odd…Raven was always on the outside, but somehow, she was so necessary to their team. Beast Boy never doubted her importance in fights, but when they were home, she was always off on her own. But, perhaps it was that stability, knowing that she was there, ready to help out if you needed her. That was missing now. They had lost their rock, their quiet constancy. They fought crime every day, but when they got back to the Tower, there was a security, knowing that all of his friends were safe for the night. And now, she was somewhere else and he couldn't know for sure. Beast Boy didn't sleep well, tossing and turning all night. When he got to the breakfast table Monday morning, it was obvious that everyone had slept about as well as he did.

"Well," Cyborg attempted a joke, "at least Raven will clearly see that we've missed her a lot. It's weird…I never really realized how much we needed her until she wasn't here."

Beast Boy and Starfire nodded. Robin just stared at his plate. He eventually looked up, "I know this is wrong, not having her around. But Raven needs to hide out because Slade is loose. So we need to do our jobs for her, to make sure Slade can't use her to raise up those things. I know it's going to be hard, but everything will be okay soon. So let's not lose focus. We need to catch Slade. For Raven."

The Titans nodded, knowing that Robin was right. They ate quickly, all heading off to their tasks.

Cyborg heading out on his patrol. Beast Boy wasn't quite sure what to do. It was odd…he could go for hours not thinking about Raven when she was around. But now, when she was gone, it was like he couldn't do anything at all. Robin ran off to the evidence room, looking through things he had searched a thousand times before; Starfire went and mothered Silkie. That left Beast Boy to do nothing.

He rocked back in his chair, bored. The giant computer caught his eye. All four legs of the chair landed hard as he thought.

"Huh. It is Monday, after all…" Beast Boy said. Looking around, double-checking that he was alone, he scooted over to the computer and typed in his password quickly.

B-EA-S-T-M-A-N

He felt a little guilty for doing this, but at the same time, he needed to check on her. He pulled up Murakami's files, finding the security cameras. A school as profitable as Murakami would have cameras installed almost everywhere. In fact, there were exactly 50 cameras posted around the campus. Beast Boy sighed, searching through each view carefully.

It was a bit more high tech than he expected. The pictures were all in color, but no sound. His eyes glazed over slightly as he continued to open up the camera views one by one. Unfortunately, on view 37, all the students got up and Beast Boy realized that the period was over and all of them would be moving to new places. He groaned, and started at one again.

He was lucky – he found Raven on camera view 17. She was in some sort of class, obviously, sitting in the back of the room. It was weird to see her in a uniform; she had the whole outfit, the skirt, the button up shirt, the tie. It was all very unlike her.

She didn't do much, just sat in the back of the room and took notes. Once, she raised her hand and made a comment. Even through the camera, he could see the tightness of her face – she had another headache. No wonder, with all the people around her. Beast Boy sighed, wishing that she was somewhere else. Preferably back at the Tower.

Something made all the students look up; the bell had rung. All of them started packing up their bags, Raven gathered up her notebook and schoolbook. Just as she was about to put them in her bag, another student walked past her and slammed against her elbow. She dropped her things, glaring at the boy as he continued by.

Beast Boy frowned, but wasn't surprised. What happened next was definitely a surprise, however. Raven stood to gather up her things, but someone else had done it for her. Terra straightened, handing Raven's things back to her with a smile. Then the blonde said something that even got a small smirk from Raven. The girls spoke about something and headed out into the hall. Beast Boy began searching through the cameras again, a little confused.

"Dude, Raven and Terra, being friendly? Who would have-"

"That boy was a Plixing Zarbmarker!" Starfire yelled from directly behind Beast Boy.

With a yelp, he tumbled out of the chair. He saw Starfire and Robin standing behind him.

"Uh, hi?" He said a little sheepishly.

"Why did that boy cause Raven to drop her things? It was unnecessary!" Starfire was livid.

"Because that's what high school boys do." Robin said, trying to calm her down.

"But why?"

Beast Boy picked himself off of the ground, "Because she's different."

"She looks like any other teenage Earthling."

"But Raven," Robin explained, "no matter what she looks like, will never be like any other teenager. She's too smart for that."

Starfire still looked upset, staring at the screen.

"I don't know that Raven would like you spying on her." Robin said to Beast Boy.

Beast Boy sighed, "I know. But I don't like not knowing if she's okay. As long as she doesn't find out, I think I'm safe." He looked to his friends, who were both watching the screen. "And don't tell me that you guys don't feel better after seeing her."

Starfire nodded vigorously. Robin was less enthusiastic, but he also smiled a bit. "It is good knowing that she hasn't blown up half the school."

Beast Boy laughed, feeling better than he had all day. "That would be like her."

"Hmpf, the rude boy is back." Starfire suddenly said, pointing.

Beast Boy turned around. Raven and Terra were seated in a courtyard or something. Maybe it was lunch for them? The boy who had shoved Raven in class was standing across from the girls, speaking to them. From Terra's scowl and Raven's stoic face, it was clear that whatever he was saying wasn't nice.

Robin frowned and muttered, "Please, Raven…don't throw him through a wall…"

From their vantage point from the side, they could see her hands clench tightly beneath the table, and a tiny ripple of dark power flickered across them.

"Oh no." Starfire said, holding her breath.

Terra got to her feet, responding to the boy angrily. He laughed, leaning over to take Raven's books. Both girls were on their feet now and Beast Boy hoped that he couldn't see the power on Raven's fingers.

Suddenly, there was someone else in the frame. A tall boy, a little muscular, with black hair stepped up behind the rude boy. He spoke and the rude one spun around, blanching. The new boy said something, gesturing to the girls. The rude boy turned and said something quickly, an apology?, shoving Raven's notebook in the black haired boy's hands and taking off. Beast Boy was relived, but it only lasted a minute.

The dark haired boy looked to the girls and the three of them seemed to share introductions. He held out Raven's notebook, and she went to take it back from him, but he didn't let go. He stared at Raven, saying something. Terra's eyebrows raised and Raven flushed a bit. The boy let go of her notebook, but took one of Raven's hands instead. He pulled a pen out and carefully wrote something on it. She frowned and said something, but didn't pull away. He finished writing and smiled at her, then turned and walked away.

As soon as he was gone, Terra laughed and said something to Raven, who only shrugged and turned back to her lunch. Terra continued talking, though Raven didn't really respond.

"What just occurred?" Starfire asked.

Robin laughed, "I think Raven just got a phone number. And a date."

Starfire clapper her hands, a tiny squeal escaping, "Oh how wondrous!"

Beast Boy stared at the screen, watching Terra chat and Raven sit quietly. That boy had stood up for her; it only made sense that he would ask her out. So why was Beast Boy furious at the idea?

Cyborg walked in at that moment, having finished his patrol. When he saw what was on the screen, he looked surprised. "What's going on?"

Starfire flew over to him, "Raven is at school and a boy pushed her and she was angry and then he found her later and was being mean and she almost used her powers against him but another boy came over and stood up for her and gave her his phone number and now Raven will go out on a date with him!" She took in a giant breath, "Also, Terra and Raven are friends now."

"Huh." Cyborg said, looking at the screens. For a weird moment, Beast Boy thought Cyborg was looking at him, but that wouldn't make sense. "The boy's probably not good enough for her."

"Definitely." Beast Boy added.

Now he was certain that Cyborg looked at him.

"It's time for your patrol, Beast Boy." Robin said, looking at his watch. "No talking to Raven." He added, watching as Beast Boy left the room.

"I know." Beast Boy said as he hurried up to the roof. He morphed into a falcon, launching off into the air. He wasn't as happy with flying today, suppressing his shriek and just flying away. His path would take him directly over Murakami, but he wasn't going to land or anything.

He flew slowly, searching carefully. He didn't think he would find Slade, but it certainly wouldn't be because of a lack of effort on his part. Eventually, he got to Murakami, and he swooped a little lower.

It was still lunch, all of the students were sitting around the campus. He quickly located Raven and Terra's table, and he even saw the dark haired boy a few tables away. He was turned to face the girls, watching them. Annoyed, Beast Boy let out a screech. A few students looked up, but most of them ignored him.

When he turned his attention back to the girls, he saw that Raven had her head tilted up, her hand shading her eyes from the sun. His sharp eyes caught the tiny smile she gave him before turning back to Terra. Feeling a bit better, he finished the rest of his patrol, not even skipping over the alleyway searches.

He got back to the Tower a little late, but he felt confident that it had been an extremely thorough search. Robin was waiting for him in the common room.

"Anything?" He asked immediately.

Beast Boy shook his head. "If Slade is in my section, he has a perfectly concealed entrance. I searched everything."

Robin sighed. "All right, Star, you're up next."

The alien girl nodded and quickly left the building.

"I'll be-"

"-in the evidence room." Cyborg and Beast Boy recited without looking at him.

Robin didn't respond, heading out the door.

Joining Cyborg on the couch, Beast Boy went to pick up a controller. Cyborg suddenly turned and looked at him seriously. Knowing that a talk was coming, Beast Boy reluctantly put his controller down and waited.

"Raven and I were talking the other day." Cyborg began.

"Uh huh."

"We were talking about you."

Surprised, he straightened a bit, "What about me?"

"She was searching for Terra, but didn't want you to know, so she asked me for help. She said that she didn't want to upset you, because you two had gotten closer lately."

He shrugged, "Yeah. We've been talking more."

"Is there something going on between you two?" The half robot asked.

Beast Boy shook his head, "No. We're friends. Besides, I annoy her and she thinks I'm annoying and not funny."

"You aren't funny. But she was certainly saying something different about the other things." Cyborg said.

Beast Boy was intrigued, "What'd she say?"

Cyborg shrugged, "Oh, just that she thinks you're a lot stronger than you look. That she wasn't surprised at how you handled Mento and the Brotherhood. She said that she always knew you had it in you. That you had this bad past that you hid behind jokes."

If Beast Boy was surprised before, he was staggered now. He didn't know that Raven had seen so much. He had tried to keep his past as secret as possible. "Raven said that?"

"Yeah. She thinks highly of you."

Sagging against the couch, Beast Boy tried to take all of that in. He was quiet, amazed that Raven would say all those things about him.

"So," Cyborg said seriously, "are you really going to let some high school kid go on a date with her?"

Until Cyborg said it, Beast Boy hadn't really considered it. The idea of Raven out with someone else made his infuriated. Did he actually have feelings for Raven? "I…I don't…"

"Don't make any decisions yet. With her, it's going to take a long time anyway. But you don't want her going out with that guy, do you?"

Beast Boy realized how badly he did not want that to happen, "No, I don't."

"Then maybe I can help you make a nice big statement." Cyborg smiled.

"How'd you figure out that I…Raven? And does Raven…does she…?"

Cyborg answered seriously, "She cares about you more than she'll admit. It might take a long time, but if you're willing to work at it, I think she'll get there."

"So my nice big statement?" Beast Boy asked, smiling widely.

Cyborg pulled something out of one of his compartments and showed it to Beast Boy, "With a few adjustments…?"

Beast Boy grinned fangily, "Dude. Excellent."


	9. Mint

"I still can't believe Devin asked you out!" Terra said loudly.

Raven cringed and looked to the blonde. "You've been saying that since yesterday."

"But he's Devin!"

Sighing, the empath looked at one of the shops in the mall. Terra had convinced her to get out and about after school on Tuesday, so here they were, at the mall. Raven wasn't exactly miserable, but she would much rather be doing something else.

Like be back at the Tower with her friends. Raven suppressed another sigh. It would only be a few more days before she could be back. This morning, she healed up her leg completely. That only left two fractured ribs left. Then all she had to do was let her power reserves fill up again and she'd be back in fighting condition.

"Let's go in here." Terra said, leading the way into a novelty shop. Raven followed her, for lack of anything else to do. Both girls were still in their uniforms, though Terra had put her hair up beneath a hat. They were trying to take caution to not be recognized.

As Terra took off, moving between the shelves with a purpose, Raven wandered. She turned, finding herself facing a small glass tiger. It was made entirely out of jade and sea glass, and Raven smiled. It would make a good present for a certain green teen.

Terra returned, a blue t-shirt beneath over her arm. It was of a band, though Raven didn't recognize the name. The blonde smiled widely.

"You really like him, don't you?"

Rolling her eyes, Raven turned, "I've told you, I don't even know this Devin kid and I-"

"I meant Beast Boy." Terra said, jerking her head at the tiger.

Raven was surprised for a minute. "He and I are just friends."

"You're a lot closer than you even were before."

"So?" Raven picked up the tiger, deciding to buy it. "I'm friends with Star and Cyborg, too."

Terra moved over to the register, paying for her shirt, "He's different than he was before."

"The past year was tough on him." Raven said, paying for her item as well.

They walked out of the shop, heading towards the food court. "You would be good for him, I think."

Raven smiled, "He dated you. I'm pretty much completely opposite of you."

"So, it's not that you don't like him, but you're worried he wouldn't like you?" Terra said, glancing at Raven out of the corner of her eye.

"It's not an issue. Beast Boy doesn't see me as anything more than a friend, and that's all right by me."

"So why won't you go out with Devin?"

Raven frowned, "Because Devin is not my type. Well, I'm not his type. He wants someone he can protect, and once I get my powers back, I most definitely won't be that girl."

Terra sighed, a little dreamily, "He could protect _me_."

The girls smiled, sharing a look. It was odd how quickly they had bonded, but it was also nice.

"So what do you want to do now?" Terra asked, "We could get some lunch or check out the bookstore?"

Raven considered, "I think I-"

"Terra!" Two girls hurried over to the table.

Looking a bit surprised, the blonde stood and smiled, "Natalie! Cassie!"

"We haven't seen you around lately, where have you been?" Natalie, or Cassie, said loudly.

Raven flinched, getting more of a headache. Both girls were clearly broadcasting that they weren't fond of Raven, so she quickly stood and excused herself.

"I'm going to check out that bookstore. You catch up with your friends. I'll see you back at Mary's later." Raven quietly said to Terra.

She looked worried, "Are you sure?"

Raven nodded, quickly walking away. She wasn't quite far enough away when one of Terra's friends asked, "Who was that girl? She was so weird looking!"

"She's my friend. Lay off." Terra responded firmly.

Feeling both a little upset and slightly pleased, Raven quickly walked off towards the bookstore. Once inside, she felt much better. Books weren't judgmental. She wandered between the stacks, fingers lazily tracing the spines. She didn't really want to buy any, but it was always nice to look. After a quiet and calming half hour, she left the store, feeling much better.

Finding a small table with two chairs, Raven sat down, pulling out one of her schoolbooks. She had discovered that although the exchange housing was very nice, it was very crowded and constantly noisy. She figured she would get more work done here and began reading her assignment for tomorrow.

"Hey, Rachel."

Raven glanced up, seeing Devin pulling out the chair across from her. He smiled at her, sitting down. He was certainly a nice looking boy. And he had stood up for her, which was very kind. But Raven didn't have anything in common with him.

"Hello." She said politely.

Devin said, "So have you thought about calling me yet?"

Raven sighed, closing her book reluctantly, "It was very nice for you to stand up for me yesterday. But I'm really not interested in going on a date with you. I'm sorry." There was a faint tickle in Raven's mind, a familiar feeling. She looked around, trying to pinpoint it, but she failed to see anyone she recognized. She looked back at Devin.

He actually seemed really disappointed, "Oh, okay."

Raven felt bad, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

Having a sudden idea, she added, "I may not be interested, but my friend really was."

Devin looked up, "The blonde girl?"

"Her name is Terra."

He stared at Raven. "Is there really no chance you'll go out with me?"

"No."

"Is your friend nice?" Devin asked.

"Very. She's over by the food court now, I think. Or at least, she was earlier. You could go look for her." Raven suggested.

Devin sighed, "I really like you, Rachel."

Raven decided to give the boy some closure. "I'm going back home next week. Permanently. So there would really be no point."

"I guess."

"Terra, on the other hand, is here for good. She wants to get into a good college and make something of her life."

Devin stood, "Thanks. I'm sorry that you're leaving, but you seem really nice. Maybe I could give you my email and you could stay in touch."

"Maybe." Raven said.

Devin waved to Raven as he walked away, and she waved back. At least her self-esteem got a little boost from Devin, even if he was disappointed in the end. She turned back to her book, wondering if Terra was still in the food court or if she had already left. Turning a page, she nearly jumped out of her seat when yet another boy plopped down in the chair across from her.

"Hi." He said, grinning.

Raven shut her book, annoyed. "Do I know you?" As she said the words, she felt that familiarity again and frowned. She stared closer at the boy.

He had sandy brown hair that was shoved back from his face. His skin was darker than hers, but only by a few shades. He was wearing jeans that almost hid purple sneakers, and a plain blue t-shirt. He wore a black sweatshirt over it, leaving it unzipped. Blue eyes watched her, laughingly. But there was something below them that made her suddenly realize who was sitting across from her.

She felt her eyebrows raise, "Beast Boy?" She asked quietly.

"I knew you'd recognize me." He grinned.

"How…?"

He held up his hand; there was a small silver ring on his middle finger, "Cyborg made it for me."

"Why are you here? Is something wrong? Have you found him?" She asked quickly, trying to keep her voice down.

He held out his hands, "Calm down. Nothing's wrong and we haven't found anything yet."

"Then why did you come here?" Raven asked. She was incredibly happy to see him, but why had he disguised himself to come here? Had she done something wrong? Was she going to have to stay as Rachel longer?

"I came here to see you." Beast Boy said, simply.

"You didn't have to do that." Raven replied, quietly. They weren't in the most private of places.

"I wanted to." Beast Boy leaned forward over the table, "It isn't the same without you, Rae. We all miss you. None of us have been sleeping well."

She was touched to hear exactly how much her presence meant to her teammates…her friends. She blushed a little bit, "I'm sorry you haven't been sleeping well."

He waved it away. "Don't worry. We'll manage. How's high school?"

"Painful." She sighed. "I'm relearning things I learned years ago and some of the students are dreadful."

"How do you already know all of this?" He looked at the book she was reading.

"The monks at Azarath taught me everything. I may not have read these exact books, but all the principles, all the theories…they're all the same." Raven said, "One good thing is that Terra and I are getting along."

Beast Boy smiled, it was a little weird without his fang showing, "Good. She could use a good role model like you."

Raven smiled, "So what-"

"I thought you said you weren't interested in dating, Rachel." Devin had returned.

Less sympathetic to him now that he was staring at her with an annoyed and an accusing look, Raven simply replied, "Devin. I said I wasn't interested in a date with you, specifically."

He looked surprised, and then angry, "And he's," he gestured at Beast Boy, "a better option? He's tiny and probably couldn't even protect you."

Slightly annoyed, Raven replied, "He's my height, which is perfectly tall enough for me. And although I don't usually need protection, I'm sure he'd been completely proficient if needed."

"So you'd rather go out with him than me?" Devin asked loudly, drawing more than a few looks.

Upset at how ridiculous he was being, Raven gathered up her things, "Yes." Swinging her bag over her shoulder, she stood up, "Come on…Gar."

Beast Boy grinned, standing up quickly and following her.

"'Gar'? That's a ridiculous name!" Devin called out from behind them.

Beast Boy turned, walking backwards. Loudly, he responded, "And 'Devin' is a girl's name, but you don't hear me broadcasting that to the world." A few of the people watching the argument snickered, making Devin angrier. He sped after them and reached out to grab Raven's arm. Getting out of his reach, she opened her mouth to yell at him. Beast Boy was suddenly there, between them.

"Don't you dare try to grab her like that. Ever." Beast Boy growled. Even without looking at his eyes, she knew that Cyborg's hologram wouldn't be able to cover up the animal. He locked those dangerous eyes with a suddenly frightened Devin, "You stood up for her, and that was very nice. But don't think it entitles you to anything. Leave. Her. Alone."

Raven took Beast Boy's arm, tugging him along with her gently. He didn't move for a second, staring at Devin. Eventually, he turned and let Raven lead him away.

On the way out, she saw Terra and her two friends by one of the stores, having watched most of what had happened. Terra was staring at Beast Boy with a frown and then her eyes lit up in recognition. She looked at Raven and raised her eyebrows. Knowing exactly what she was implying, Raven just waved and left the mall.

Once they were outside, Raven let go of Beast Boy's arm. He grinned at her. "So, even in high school we can find some adventure."

"I hardly think a jilted teenager is adventure." Raven muttered. She had a sudden thought, "How did you know that Devin stood up for me?"

He looked a little worried, "Uh…I guessed?"

"Liar."

"Telepathic?"

"Nice try."

"He told me earlier?"

"No."

"Terra told me?"

"I don't think so."

"You told me?"

"I did no such thing."

"I was using Murakami's security cameras yesterday to check up on you and make sure you were okay?"

Raven nodded. "That sounds about right." She looked at him, waiting for more elaboration.

He took a deep breath and Raven prepared for a Starfire-type rant. "Cyborg was on his patrol and Star was with Silkie and Robin was being Robin-y and I realized that I wanted to hang out with you but I couldn't. So instead I found the cameras and made sure you were all right and saw that kid trying to take your books and then the other kid, Devin, come in and write something on your hand. Robin said he asked you on a date and Star was happy and Robin was happy and I-" He stopped suddenly, looking back to the sidewalk in front of him.

Raven was annoyed that he spied on her, but also felt a little touched that he had missed her so much. But that didn't mean she would let him off the hook so easily. "You…?"

"I...don't know what I was." He mumbled.

Unsure of how to respond, Raven didn't say anything. There was an awkward silence for a moment.

"Are you hungry?" Beast Boy suddenly asked.

Raven shrugged, "A little."

"Cool. I know a place really close to here." He led the way, keen to get both of their minds off of their conversation. Raven allowed it to happen, not too certain what would happen if they continued.

Raven was a little concerned as he went into an alley and then to an unmarked door. He pushed it open without knocking, beckoning her to join him. She did, a little wary.

Raven could feel her eyes rise as they stepped through the door. Despite the worrying entrance, it was incredibly clean and well lit. The tables were small and cramped, but Beast Boy worked his way through them to a back corner. She followed, sliding into a wooden chair. She placed her bag on the floor, picking up the menu. She didn't recognize a single thing on here. Beast Boy was smiling at her when she looked up.

"I'll take care of it." He said.

Raven shrugged and set her menu back down. A skinny young girl approached, smiling at Beast Boy just a little too widely. She barely even looked at Raven.

"What can I get ya?" She was perky and a brunette and Raven found her annoying.

Beast Boy listed off a few things quickly and then handed the menus to the waitress.

"I'm Katie, if you need anything else." She grinned widely at Beast Boy and left the table, not sparing a single glance to Raven.

"So, any luck on patrols?" She asked him once she had gotten over her annoyance.

Beast Boy shrugged, "Not really. Robin's been looking for more properties under the name 'S. Wilson', and we've searched them all. Nothing."

Raven wasn't surprised, "It's rare that we find him before he wants us to."

"Yeah. But we're still going on daily patrols, going over every inch of the city."

"I've been trying to search as well-"

"What?" He looked shocked and upset. "You can't be going out there alone! That's the whole reason we've done all this!" He gestured to her disguise.

Touched by his concern and a little annoyed that he thought she would be so careless, she arched a brow, "I meant, meditating and searching for his mind. Walls and underground facilities wouldn't matter to me. But so far, I haven't been able to sense him."

"Oh." He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

"It's all right."

Katie brought their food back, placing it all down carefully and taking the time to point out everything. Raven was silent as the waitress once again only addressed Beast Boy.

"Will there be anything else?" She smiled widely, playing with her hair as she looked at Beast Boy.

"No, we're fine, thanks." He responded, already dishing out food for him and Raven. Katie looked a little annoyed that he didn't even spare her a glance and she glared a bit at Raven. She could sense the frustration from the waitress and smiled at her.

Katie frowned and turned on her heel, heading back to the kitchen.

Raven took the plate that Beast Boy handed to her. There was quite a bit of rice and tons of vegetables. She tried a bit of everything, surprised that it all tasted very good. She didn't necessarily enjoy tofu, but she loved fruits and vegetables.

"Good?" Beast Boy asked.

Raven nodded, "I'm impressed."

He smiled, digging into his own meal with gusto, "I don't live off of tofu, you know."

"I know. But it's usually the only thing you talk about when you argue with Cyborg." Raven replied, getting a little more of the salad.

"That's only 'cause it annoys him so much." Beast Boy cleaned off his plate within a few minutes.

"How's Starfire doing?" Raven asked after a bit.

Beast Boy leaned back in his chair, "She's all right. Robin will go in spurts. Sometimes he'll be at the computer, completely focused, and then he'll suddenly get up and just sit with Star for a bit."

"Good." Raven smiled, she may not have tons in common with the alien, but she wanted her to be happy.

Their meal was finished in record time. Raven was shocked at how much she enjoyed everything. Beat Boy smiled at her knowingly, "Told you it was good."

Raven managed a smile, "You were right."

He feigned shock, "What?"

"Statistically, I suppose it had to happen sometime." She deadpanned.

He grinned, "So-"

Katie was back again, "How was everything?" She asked Beast Boy, turning her back on Raven. The empath rolled her eyes.

"Great, thanks. The check?" Beast Boy asked.

Katie grinned, pulling it out of her apron, "Here you go." She put it in Beast Boy's hand carefully.

"Thanks." He said, obviously waiting for her to leave.

Katie was flustered, "I'll be back in a bit to clean off the table."

Beast Boy nodded, not looking at her. She left in a huff, shooting another glare at Raven. She wasn't entirely sure why the waitress hated her so much, but it was amusing. Beast Boy was looking at something on the check, a little annoyed.

"Is everything all right?" Raven asked, reaching into her bag for some money.

He waved her offer away, "I got it. It's fine."

"I don't mind paying…" She said.

Beast Boy pulled out his wallet, "I invited you. I'll take care of it." He put a few bills on the table. "Next time we have something to eat, you can pay."

She didn't think it would happen, but she nodded, "Deal."

As they gathered up their things, Raven glanced at the bill. At the bottom, Katie had written her phone number. Had he not seen it?"

"Beast Boy?" She asked, pointing at the number when he looked at her.

He shook his head, "No thanks."

She followed him back into the alley, "Why not?"

"She was rude." Beast Boy said simply. "Despite the fact that it wasn't, anyone looking at us would have assumed it was a date. She shouldn't be ignoring you and giving me her number when it looks like I'm with someone."

"But," Raven said as they walked onto the main street, "it wasn't a date. So you could have gotten her number."

Beast Boy looked at Raven, "I'm not interested in her."

Raven, a little unsure how to take that statement, nodded and they walked to the corner. It was getting darker; she hadn't realized just how much time she had spent at the mall and at dinner. Reaching the traffic light, they stopped. The Tower was to the left and the exchange student housing was to the right.

"I should get back to the house." Raven said, looking towards the Tower.

Beast Boy watched her, "I could walk you there."

She shook her head, "It's not very far. Besides, you should get back before Robin finds out where you've been."

He flushed, "How'd you know he didn't know?"

"Because it's Robin. He wouldn't want you taking a risk by coming out here." Raven said.

"You're out here. Isn't that risky?"

Raven shrugged. "Robin thinks it's safer."

Beast Boy nodded. "Well, get home safe."

"You too."

"I had a good time."

"Me too. Educational on the numerous vegetarian options." Raven smiled when Beast Boy did.

"I should…" He jerked a thumb towards the Tower.

"Yeah."

"Goodnight, Rae."

"Night." She turned and crossed the street, feeling as if Beast Boy was watching her until she turned left at the corner.

Raven smiled as she walked, it really had been an enjoyable time. She certainly hadn't expected it.

Only a few blocks away from Mary's, Raven frowned. There was a familiar buzz in her head…a mind that was familiar but not at the same time. She looked around, not seeing anything. Concerned, she walked a little faster, searching the alleys around her for any hint of movement.

"Hello, my dear."

Raven blanched, stepped away from the figure that had suddenly appeared before her. Her heart was pounding; despite everything, she had believed he wouldn't come back. But there he was.

Slade stood in front of her, his arms crossed. The orange and black armor looked exactly as it always did. His one eye stared at her, a malicious look deep within it. Raven tried to back up, but he only followed her.

"Come along." He said, grabbing her arm too quickly for her eyes to follow and dragging her into the nearest alleyway. She tried to fight him, but without her powers, she was no competition at all for his inhuman strength. He twisted her arm behind her, putting more and more pressure on it until she gasped. How had Slade found her?

"I have some questions for you." He sounded completely at ease. "The girl living in that housing with you. The blonde one. What's her name?"

"Terra." Raven gasped out; he had access to almost everything, he had to know her name. Why was he asking about Terra? From what they had gathered, he should have taken Raven and run. Unless…she dared to hope a bit, did he not recognize her?

"Very good. You're telling the truth. Now, how did she get here?"

Raven was quiet for a minute, thankful she had told the truth. Slade twisted her arm more and she began to feel nauseous from the pain. "She…she doesn't remember. She showed up out of nowhere, with no memory of anything. She only knew her first name."

"Interesting." Slade said coldly, not releasing his grip on Raven's arm. "Does she do anything out of the ordinary?"

"What?" He wrenched her arm even tighter, "No! No! All she does is go to school and the mall. That's it."

Slade sighed, "A pity. She had potential. And I know I could have paid her back many times in return for what she did to me. But if she doesn't remember…there's no satisfaction." He didn't release Raven. "And what's your name?"

Raven nearly laughed in relief; he honestly didn't know who she was! "Ra…Rachel."

"Thanks for the information, Rachel. You've proven invaluable." He slammed her against the brick wall of the alley. Raven felt her cheek scrape against the rough surface, blood trickling out slowly. "Because you told me what I needed to know, I suppose I won't kill you."

She tried not to move, or even breathe. She knew there would be more.

"However…it's unlike me to just leave someone unharmed, so…" He hauled her arm up and Raven felt and heard the pop of her shoulder dislocating. Swooning from the pain, she barely noticed when Slade released her, letting her fall to the ground. Pushing aside the nausea, she looked up at him. He merely stared down at her, "Consider yourself lucky."

Then he was gone.

Raven hugged her shoulder close, trying to keep it from moving at all. She listened hard with her ears and her mind, waiting for the now recognizable feel of Slade's mind to disappear from her awareness. He was long gone now.

She got to her knees, unable to stop a few tears as her shoulder shifted against her socket painfully. Flipping open the top her messenger bag, she looked through it, incredibly grateful she had carried her communicator with her today. She turned it on, and switched to the private line that she had never used before. Carefully, she selected a single name and called it.

"R-Raven, calling Beast Boy." She managed to get out. The muscles in her shoulder were trembling, making the pain even worse.

His reply was almost instant, "Raven? What's wrong?"

"Slade…I need…" She bit her lip as the pain got more intense. Her muscles wouldn't calm down, shuddering and dragging against the dislocated joint.

"Don't move. I'm on my way." His voice barely contained his worry, and Raven could have sworn she heard him already shifting into a bird before he had even turned off his communicator.

Raven let her communicator fall back into her bag and sagged against the pain, hoping he would hurry.


	10. Turquoise

Beast Boy's wings hurt a bit. How he wished he could just transform into a cheetah and run through town. But he knew that Raven's security would be blown if that happened, so he had settled for a falcon. Despite how fast he usually felt while in this form, he felt as if he was dragging now. He pumped his wings harder, hoping to gain every ounce of speed he could.

As soon as Raven had contacted him, he knew something was horribly wrong. Why hadn't he walked her home? It was his fault she was… His chest tightened painfully, forcing him to lose a bit of speed. He pushed through it. He couldn't afford to be worried just yet. He just needed to get to her. Raven rarely showed that amount of pain. Slade must have really hurt her. How had he found her? How had he recognized her?

He approached the place that Raven's signal had come from. He dove into the alley, seeing a small form in the dark. Reverting back to his own form just a few feet above the ground, he was at her side before she had even looked up.

She didn't look too bad at first glance. Her cheek was scratched and a little bloody and she was obviously shaken. But there really didn't seem to be anything-

Raven shifted slightly towards him and he saw her left shoulder. It was clearly dislocated. Having felt that sort of injury before, he was surprised that she was managing so well. Many people passed out from shoulder dislocations.

Still wearing his clothes from earlier, Beast Boy pulled off his sweatshirt. He knew how to pop it back in place, but it wasn't going to be easy.

"I need you to listen to me, okay?" He said gently, twirling his jacket around into a rope-like form.

Raven nodded, pale.

"Your shoulder is dislocated." Beast Boy said, sliding his jacket beneath her arm and pulling it up so it was in a loop beneath her armpit.

"Figured that out myself, thanks." She said through gritted teeth. He could feel her muscles spasm through the jacket.

"When I say so, I need you to tug straight down on your arm and I'm going to pull up on the jacket. It'll pop back into place, but it's going to hurt…a lot."

Raven took a deep breath, holding the forearm of the dislocated shoulder with her good arm. "Okay."

Beast Boy put his hand on her good shoulder, holding her down. "On three. One. Two. Three!" He pulled up on the jacket hard, feeling her pulling against him.

There was an audible shifting of bones as her shoulder moved into place. Raven cried out and Beast Boy quickly let go of the jacket, kneeling at her side and ready to catch her if she fainted. He did when this had been done to him. She fell limp for a moment, and he gathered her close, careful not to touch the newly shifted shoulder. Her head rested on his chest and he could feel her shaking. He just held her for a minute, rubbing her back and wishing there was something else he could do. He could always put on the ring again and look for help. But then she would be left here alone.

Her head rested against him, the shaking slowing until it was only her injured limb. Her muscles would continue to spasm for a while, but then she would feel a bit better. She'd be sore for a few days, but the hard part was done. Breathing shakily, she managed to look up after a few minutes. She pulled away from him, "Thanks."

"You okay?" He asked, letting her go. She still looked really pale.

Raven nodded. "Still hurts…but not the same as it did before." She leaned against the alley wall, trying to calm her breathing.

"Slade?" Beast Boy asked. If he was close, he would have to go after him, but leaving Raven here alone…?

"Long gone. He asked about Terra. He didn't recognize me." She said, barely more than a whisper.

"Then why did he hurt you?" Beast Boy asked, his fists clenched.

Raven shook her head weakly, "He said I was lucky. He would have killed me if I hadn't answered him correctly."

Beast Boy started to stand, "We need to get you back to the Tower."

Her hand caught his wrist, stopping him, "I can't."

"I can carry you." Beast Boy said, kneeling next to her again.

"No, I mean I can't go back now." She looked at him, her eyes a little glassy with pain, "If I do and Slade finds out, maybe he'll think I was lying about Terra and go after her."

"And if you stay here, he may come back to question you again. He might find out who you are." Beast Boy tried not to get upset, but it was proving difficult.

Raven shook her head, "He can't find out who Terra is. If he does, he said he wants revenge on her for what she did. He can't find out."

"Raven…" He was at a loss. She was right, but still. "What if he comes back?"

"I'll answer truthfully again."

"And when he has all the answers he needs?"

She didn't answer.

Beast Boy sighed, settling to sit next to her. He pulled out his communicator, flipping it open. "Beast Boy calling everyone."

"Beast Boy? Where are you?" Robin's voice came back first.

"With Raven. 5th and Slack street."

"We agreed that going to see her would be too dangerous-" Robin began.

Beast Boy interrupted him, not in the mood to be lectured, "Slade was here. Asked Raven some questions about Terra and then dislocated her shoulder. But he didn't recognize her. He's gone now."

"We shall come straight to you." Starfire said, worried.

Raven spoke up, her voice still laced with pain, "No. It's too dangerous. I'm okay. Just look for Slade. Don't come here."

"But Beast Boy-" Robin said. There was a small discussion between Robin and Cyborg, but he couldn't make it out.

"So Beast Boy looks a little different." Robin said, annoyed.

"His presence isn't an issue. But if all of the Teen Titans show up only a few houses down from where Terra lives and Slade finds out?" Raven argued.

There was silence from the communicator. They all knew Raven was right, but none of them wanted to admit it.

"Beast Boy, you have a new mission." Robin said, obviously upset. "You're going to stay with Raven for the next few days, until she's better. Animal form, or the disguise that Cyborg has only just now informed me about. Stay with her at all possible times."

"And if Slade shows up again?" Beast Boy asked.

"Stay hidden." Raven said from his side.

He glared at her, "Are you kidding? And just let him hurt you?"

"If Slade returns, it will be to ask me more questions. He wants answers, so he won't kill me. Just…push me around a little. But if you suddenly appear and attack him? I don't look that different from my usual self and Slade can put two and two together. I'm useless in a fight, so it'll be you against him. And if you lose, we've just handed Slade the key to the revenants. So you are to stay hidden unless it looks like he won't actually stop." She was stern, glaring at him.

Cyborg sounded upset, "She's…she's right."

"So I'm just supposed to stay hidden if he comes back?" Beast Boy couldn't believe his ears.

"Yes." Robin said. "That's an order."

"But-"

"No arguments, Beast Boy. You are to remain hidden if Slade returns. You can attempt to follow him, but only after Raven is safe and out of the picture." Robin waited, "Understand?"

Beast Boy glared at the communicator.

"Beast Boy." Robin said.

"Yeah, I got it." Beast Boy retorted. "Then, you all know where I'll be. Go find Slade."

"He was going west." Raven put in. "He went that way for at least seven miles."

"How…?" Beast Boy asked.

She tapped her temple. He understood.

"Good luck." Beast Boy said into the communicator.

"You too." Robin and Cyborg responded.

"I hope to see you all soon, my friends." Starfire said.

"Same here." Raven replied, resting her head against the alley.

Beast Boy shut off the communicator, angry and relived all at the same time. At least he could keep a closer eye on Raven now. He looked over at her. Her bad shoulder was still shuddering a bit and she closed her eyes against the pain. Beast Boy moved to her bad side, grabbing his jacket on the way. "Lean forward." He said, slipping the jacket over her once she obeyed.

Slowly, Beast Boy began rubbing her bad shoulder, using the warmth and the soothing motions to help calm her muscles. At first, it hurt more and Raven couldn't stifle a gasp. He felt bad, but kept going, knowing that it would begin to help. He felt her muscles start to relax beneath his fingers, and the tension began to leave Raven's face.

"Better?"

She nodded, "It's just sore now."

Beast Boy stopped and sat next to her once more, "It'll be sore for a while. Try not to move it around too much if you can."

"Has this happened to you before?" She asked, her voice almost returning to normal.

"A few times. Soon, I was popping in back in myself." He said, leaving out the part where he would usually pass out afterwards.

"How?"

"Tennis ball right beneath the joint, and then pulling the arm down." Beast Boy answered.

"Why did it happen so much?"

"'Cause usually I wouldn't give it enough time to heal properly before becoming active again. I had to keep up with Mento and the others."

"They pushed you hard." Raven said.

"Yeah. But it made me who I am, so I can't complain too much."

She looked at him, "You're pretty impressive."

Beast Boy smiled. Then he got a little nervous, realizing exactly how close their faces were. "You think so?"

"Mhmm." She looked away, breaking the moment. "You tell anyone I said that and I'll deny it."

"Of course." He noticed the blood on her face and picked up the sleeve of his jacket, wiping off most of it.

She began moving and Beast Boy jumped up in order to help her to her feet. She took his hand gratefully, still favoring her arm. "Thanks."

"So, Gar or an animal?" He asked.

Raven considered. "Mary doesn't allow pets, but she also doesn't want strangers spending the night. Maybe you can hide until we get to mine and Terra's room. Then you can come out once we close the door. It's not like she checks the rooms."

"I can do that." He morphed into a lizard, making sure he landed in Raven's hands. She gently put him in her messenger bag, which she had over her good shoulder. He shifted back and forth as she began walking, but he could tell that she was doing her best to keep the bag from swinging around too much.

Beast Boy stayed still, listening around him. Eventually she moved up a few steps and Beast Boy heard her open and close a door. It was immediately warmer and he could hear the sounds of many voices coming from another room.

"Rachel!" A boy's voice rang out, think with an accent. "Where have you been?"

"I was at dinner, with a friend." She replied, doing her best to keep the residual pain out of her voice.

"Was this friend a boy?" The male asked teasingly.

"That's none of your business, Timotei." Raven answered, continuing to walk.

"_Puteţi să-mi spui_." The other boy asked, but in a weird language.

He was shocked to hear Raven respond, "_Da, el a fost un băiat_."

Timotei's voice grew teasing, "_Un băiat special?_"

Raven hesitated before answering, and then said quietly, "_Foarte speciale_."

"I hope you had a good night." Timotei said, a smile in his voice.

"I did."

Hearing her say that made Beast Boy unreasonably happy. He wriggled a bit in the bag and he heard Raven start to head up some stairs. She suddenly paused, "Is Terra back?"

Timotei spoke from further away, "Yes. She arrived just a bit ago."

"Good. Thank you, Timotei."

"Anytime, _mea frumoasa si misterioasa_ Rachel."

She faltered, but then continued up the stairs. He heard another door open and shut, and suddenly his ears were assaulted.

"What did you do to Devin?" Terra yelled.

"I didn't do anything." Raven said, Beast Boy felt the bag touch something that gave way a bit. Her bed?

"He was furious after you left, and was that BB with you?" Terra asked, lowering her voice a bit.

"He acted like a jerk. He got told off. And yes."

"How did he look like that? He was so…not green."

"Ask him yourself." Raven said, flipping open the bag. Beast Boy crawled out, morphing back into his normal green self and smiling.

Terra stared at him, obviously shocked. Beast Boy reclined on the bed until he saw Raven's glare. Then he straightened up and sat more conventionally.

"What are you doing here?" Terra asked, making sure to keep quiet.

Raven flushed a bit, "The Titans thought it would be best if he keep an eye on us-"

No, he wasn't going to let her downplay this, "Slade attacked Raven a few blocks from here."

"What?" The shock on Terra's face only confirmed his belief in her innocence. Besides, Raven wouldn't trust her if she wasn't truly good.

"Beast Boy…" Raven tried to stop him.

"He showed up asking questions about you. Raven told him that although you were Terra, you didn't have any memory of anything before you showed up. He believed that she was Rachel, and only dislocated her shoulder, instead of killing her." Beast Boy finished, still angry.

Terra sank down on her bed, "Oh, Raven…I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. I'm fine. Beast Boy was sent here to watch and make sure Slade doesn't come back." She glared at Beast Boy, "Everything is fine."

Taking the hint, he fell silent, looking about the room. It was painfully plain. Two beds were pushed against opposite sides of the wall farthest from the door. Two small chests for clothes were at the foot of each bed, and two small dressers were lined up side by side, lengthwise between the beds, providing some privacy between the girls. A desk sat on either side of the door, clearly where the girls did their work. Although Terra had put up a few posters of bands, a small stereo, and had several small items on her desk, Raven's space had nothing like that. She hadn't wanted anyone to realize she was part of the Titans, so there was nothing of hers lying around. Nothing of hers to make this place seem less forbidding. Raven pulled a few things out of her bag, placing them on her desk.

"Can I borrow your history book?" She asked Terra.

Terra sighed, handing her the book, "You're the only person in the world who would do history for a school she's only going to be at for a few days."

Raven shrugged without thinking, wincing as her shoulder pulled. She sat down hard on her desk chair, holding her shoulder. Beast Boy was immediately on his feet, "Are you okay?"

"Fine." She said, turning away from him. She flipped open the book, heading to the questions at the end of a chapter. Pulling out a piece of paper, she began to write steadily, not looking back at any part of the book.

"Why do you even need my book?" Terra asked, struggling with her own assignment. "It's not like you need it to find the answers. You know everything already."

"I don't know the questions." She answered calmly, not pausing in her writing for a second.

Terra sighed, looking at her math book in annoyance. "Well can you help me with this?"

"Sure. What's the question?"

Terra read out the problem, clearly confused, "Three x squared minus 27, divided by 4, all times eight x squared divided by nine minus three x, divided by x squared plus three x divided by six."

Beast Boy had tuned out by the fifth word, completely lost. He looked to Raven, who hadn't even glanced back.

"Negative twelve x." Raven replied.

His jaw dropped, "I knew you were smart Raven, but woah."

"How did you do that?" Terra gasped, having turned to the back of the book to check that her answer had been correct.

Raven still continued looking at her own papers, "Invert the third fraction, multiply straight across, factor and cross cancel."

"How do you know all that?" Beast Boy asked.

"The monks at Azarath taught me."

Terra laughed, "Did you do nothing but study there? That's your answer for everything."

"Yes." Raven responded, still writing.

Beast Boy sat up, "Really? You didn't have any friends or anything?"

"Rarely do people want to be friends with a half demon. Especially when all of them knew what I was born to do." She spoke monotonously. "I had classes alone. Only one of the professors was comfortable teaching me. The time I wasn't in class was spent in my room, reading and doing work. I didn't have much else but school."

She grabbed another sheet of paper, having filled up one completely already. She continued writing, apparently ignorant of the shocked looks Terra and Beast Boy were giving her. But she had to know; she always knew.

Raven continued to write, filling up three fourths of her second page before stopping. Only then did she turn and look at the others. By that time, Terra and Beast Boy had schooled their expressions into something less than shock.

"So, where am I going to sleep?" Beast Boy asked.

"The floor." Raven and Terra immediately answered.

"Harsh." He sighed.

Neither of the girls took pity on him, turning back to their own things. Raven pulled out a book, looking through it carefully. Bored, Beast Boy moved over and sat on her desk, "What are you reading?"

"_The Grimault_." Raven responded, staring at the small, cramped words. Beast Boy stared at it; even if he could make out the letters, they wouldn't make any sense to him.

"What language is that in?" He asked, staring closer.

"Latin." Raven said, turning a page.

He kicked his heels against her desk until she glared at him. "What were you speaking to the guy downstairs? Timothy?"

"Timotei. Romanian."

"So you know Romanian and Latin. What else?"

She sighed, looking at him, "German, Sanskrit and ancient Sumerian."

"Cool."

Raven shrugged.

"Are you looking for a way to stop Slade?" He asked.

"No. I'm looking for a way to stop the revenants if we fail." She said, turning another page.

"But I thought you said they couldn't be stopped." Terra said, glancing up from the math homework that wasn't getting done.

"The Devil stopped them. Maybe another demon can as well." Raven responded.

Beast Boy asked, "Any luck?"

"A little…though it would be a last resort."

"What is it?" Terra asked, giving up on her math completely.

Raven sighed, rubbing her forehead a bit, "They're like ghosts, which means on this plane, we can't touch them, though they can destroy us. But, by using my astral projection, I might be able to bring them into my mind, where they would become corporeal. Maybe there, I could fight them…"

"Or they would destroy your mind from the inside out." Beast Boy argued, annoyed. "You can't seriously be considering that!"

"Shh!" Terra said quickly, but it was too late.

There was a loud knock on the door, "Is that a boy I hear in there?" Mary sounded angry. Raven opened up one of her desk drawers and Beast Boy quickly morphed into a lizard again, dropping into it. Raven closed the drawer just as Mary shoved open the door.

Mary was silent for a moment, probably searching their clearly boy-less room. "Who did I hear talking?" She asked.

"Us?" Terra responded.

Mary didn't sound convinced, "It better be only you."

"It is." Raven replied calmly.

"Well…good." Mary was flustered, and the door closed loudly behind her.

Terra laughed quietly as Raven opened up the drawer. Beast Boy crawled out, morphing into himself and landing on the floor with a quiet thud.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly.

Raven looked back to her book, "It's all right." She rubbed her shoulder absentmindedly.

"You should probably take something for that." Beast Boy said.

She looked up, apparently not realizing he had been watching, "I suppose."

"I have some muscle relaxants in my first aid kit," Terra said helpfully, getting it from her dresser.

"Thanks." Raven said, accepting the pills and swallowing them with a bit of water.

"Maybe you should just get to sleep." Terra suggested, the concern in her eyes not feigned at all.

Beast Boy smiled; he was glad they were getting along so well. Because, despite her injuries, if Terra started something, Raven would definitely emerge victorious.

"I suppose." Raven said, hiding a yawn. She went over to her dresser, gathering up a few things. "Be back in a bit." She left the room quietly, shutting the door behind her.

Beast Boy watched her go. "Where…?"

"Shower and meditation." Terra answered.

He figured this would be a good time, "How has she been doing?"

The blonde put aside her homework, "She's okay. Moving a bit slower than usual. Getting tired easier. What's wrong with her?"

If Raven trusted her enough to sleep in the same room, he figured she wouldn't mind if Terra knew the truth, "A few days back, we were fighting that shifting creature."

"Yeah, I saw it before." Terra said.

"Anyway, it was going pretty badly. Star was down, Robin and Cy couldn't get near enough to touch it, Raven had half of a concrete floor thrown at her. We got it to morph into a reptile, but I got knocked out in the process. From what the others told me, Raven trapped it in a dome of her power. She held it long enough for the authorities to get there, but she used up everything to do it. Cy said she was bleeding from her nose and her ears…even crying blood. They took us both back to the infirmary."

Beast Boy took a breath, "Raven woke up before I did…I guess I got a concussion from the morphing thing. She noticed that I was…not doing so well. She healed my brain, but used up her last dregs of power. She…sort of had a fit…it was scary." He shook his head, "I thought she had died. But she woke up a few days later; she was beaten up and powerless. She got herself into more trouble with some jerk on the street when she was trying to find out why Slade attacked me."

"Slade attacked you?" Terra asked.

Beast Boy nodded, "It was just one of his bots."

"Sounds like you guys have had a rough time." Terra said quietly.

"You have no idea." Beast Boy commented. "That's why she's here…Robin didn't think she'd be safe in the Tower, so he sent her to hide here, undercover, where she could get healed."

Terra looked guilty, "And now Slade is after her because of me."

"It's not your fault." He answered, "And Raven can take care of herself."

"You two seem a lot closer." Terra said, smiling a bit.

He shrugged, "Yeah. Without her powers, she can't throw me out a window."

Terra laughed at that. "You looked more than a little annoyed when Devin was talking to her, though."

He flushed, "He was being rude."

"Or maybe you were just jealous." She replied knowingly. She didn't look jealous or upset. She just smiled when Beast Boy stuttered to come up with a response.

Their conversation came to a halt when Raven slipped into the room again. Her hair was still damp, darkening the grey t-shirt she was wearing over black shorts. It wasn't anything interesting, but for some reason, just because it wasn't her normal outfit, it had Beast Boy staring more than a little.

She apparently didn't notice, asking Terra, "So did Devin ever make his way over to you?"

"Yeah. He asked me out for Friday."

Terra glanced at Beast Boy, a little ashamed. It took him a moment to remember that he should probably be jealous. He couldn't muster up the feeling though. He was just glad Devin was going out with Terra and not Raven.

"Does that mean he's going to hang out with us at lunch?" Raven asked annoyance in her voice.

"Actually," Terra looked apologetic, "Cassie and Natalie asked me to hang out with them for lunch."

Raven hesitated for only a moment; if Beast Boy hadn't been so attuned to her, he probably wouldn't have noticed, "That's good. I need to catch up on homework."

Not picking up on the slightly tense tone, Terra continued, "You could join us…?"

"No, I'd better not." Raven said, hanging up her towel. "I don't think I'm their type of friend."

Terra nodded, "They're not the brightest…but they were nice to me when I first joined. It's just hard to get rid of them."

Pulling a blanket and pillow off of her bed, she laid it out on the floor between her bed and the wardrobe, "Here."

He eyed the thin sheet that was left on her bed, "Won't you get cold?"

"I'll be fine." Raven said, grabbing the _Grimault_ before sitting on her bed. She opened it up once more, eyes flashing across the page.

Terra stood and stretched, "I think I'll jump in the shower and then head to bed, too." She sent a look toward Raven, obviously meaning something by it, but Beast Boy couldn't figure out what. Raven just rolled her eyes and ignored the blonde. The door closed quietly behind Terra as she left.

He sat on the blanket she had given him, "You're not seriously considering bringing them into your head, are you?"

"Only as a last resort." Raven replied.

Beast Boy shook his head, "Well, it won't get that far. We'll stop him before he gets to you."

"Good." Raven said, though she didn't seem entirely convinced.

"We'll stop him, Raven." He repeated, drawing her eyes.

She looked worried, "I can't do it again…"

"Do what?"

"Be responsible for all that pain…the destruction." He could barely hear her voice now.

"You won't be." He said confidently. "We'll stop him."

"I hope so." She finally replied, looking back down at her book.

Beast Boy sprawled on the floor, his hands behind his head. He tried to keep silent; he knew that he was annoying her, even if he didn't say anything. Still, he wasn't used to the quiet and calm. His mind reeled around, too active to want to relax. If he and Raven started dating, he'd have to start carrying his comics with him all the time, just so he wouldn't annoy-

He was nearly shocked into sitting bolt upright. As it was, he tensed painfully. If he and Raven started what? Where had that come from? He tried to relax, but it was too late.

"Are you all right?" Raven asked, looking down and over at him. "You sort of lost it for a second."

He cleared his throat, "I'm fine. Totally fine." Searching for something that could distract her, he said, "But you should probably get to sleep. You've got school and everything tomorrow."

Raven sighed. "I suppose." She put the book on the chest at the end of her bed, leaning back into the mattress. The light was still on, obviously for Terra's return.

"By the way, I can't recall if I said it, but thanks for coming back for me." Raven said suddenly.

He couldn't see her face from the angle he was at, but he figured that she'd probably be blushing. "Of course." He waited, not wanting to talk about it, but needing to just the same. "Do you think he'll be back?"

She didn't ask who he meant. "I believe so."

"Raven…"

"It'll be okay. I'll get pushed around a bit and then it'll be okay. Only a few more days, anyway. Then I'll have regained my full power once more."

"And then?"

She sounded like she was rolling over onto her side, "Then we take him down, of course."

"I like the sound of that." Beast Boy grinned, a little more feral than his usual smile.

A soft laugh almost made him sit up, but he remained lying down. Beast Boy's smile grew warmer.

"Goodnight, Beast Boy." Raven said, her voice already quieter and softer.

"'Night, Raven." He answered, closing his eyes.

He heard Terra come in a few minutes later, softly moving around her own half of the room. She didn't say anything to either one of them, obviously assuming they were both asleep. Soon, the light clicked off, leaving the room in darkness.

Beast Boy didn't know how long he lay there, awake. Cyborg's hint at Beast Boy's real reasons for not wanting Devin to go out with Raven suddenly seemed a lot more valid. She had always been on the outskirts, but for years, he had been making the effort to get her involved in things. She was the realistic rock that held their group together, whether they knew it or not.

And tonight...he had almost lost it when he heard her voice on the communicator. The last time she had sounded so helpless was when she thought Trigon was going to destroy the world. It had panicked him. Raven was always the one to remain calm. Not that she hadn't been calm when she called him…and why had she called him, specifically? Probably because he was the closest. But still, it was a private call to only his communicator. Even if she had called all the Titans, he would have been the one ordered to come to her.

It had been difficult for him to cause her more pain by relocating her shoulder. But it had to be done. She bore it out with her usual strength, but he knew exactly how painful it had been for her. Beast Boy shifted on the comforter she gave him.

Dating Raven didn't seem all that dangerous when compared to everything else that was going on. Slade was back, zombies could be released if he got to Raven. Suddenly, it didn't seem so daunting. Of course, that was now, while she was asleep and not looking at him with those piercing purple eyes. It seemed much easier now. Tomorrow could be a different matter.

His male mind immediately jumped to more interesting aspects of dating. Beast Boy grinned in the darkness, wondering just what it would be like to kiss a half demon. They were both almost eighteen, despite their rather young forms. Beast Boy had noticed with time that his body didn't seem to age at the normal rate. He may look sixteen or younger, but in reality, he was a bit older than that. And Raven was almost eighteen as well. It's not like they were both still children.

He had to have been thinking along these lines for some time, at least a few hours. Both Terra and Raven's breathing proved that they were both deeply asleep. Hearing an odd noise, Beast Boy sat up with a frown.

Raven was curled up in her bed, leaning on her good shoulder. Her lips were slightly parted, breathing quietly. The black hair that didn't really belong on her was splayed across her cheek, hiding her eyes. And although all of this caught Beast Boy's attention, especially after the thoughts he had been having, he was focused on something else instead.

She was shivering under the thin sheet. Beast Boy sighed quietly; he knew she wasn't going to be warm when she gave him the comforter. He considered his options and decided the latter, although more likely to get in trouble, was the better choice.

Grasping the edge of the comforter, he picked it up off the floor, shaking it out a bit. Gently, he placed over the tiny, stubborn girl who wouldn't have told him if she was cold if she had been blue and her fingers had fallen off. She didn't respond immediately, but he could tell that her shivering had slowed somewhat.

Of course, that left him with only a pillow on the floor. Beast Boy stared at it for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced at the bed and considered for a moment.

With a sigh, knowing that this would probably land him in a heap of trouble, Beast Boy morphed into a cat and jumped lightly onto the foot of Raven's bed. Even if she stretched out, she was too small to actually kick him, so he'd probably be safe. Until she woke up, at least.

He sighed in cat form, deciding he'd deal with it tomorrow. For now, he curled up tightly in the corner of her bed, closing his slitted green eyes. A few moments later, he was asleep, breathing as quietly as the other two in the room.


	11. Olive

Raven was awoken by a giggle.

Sighing, she opened her eyes, seeing that her alarm was about to go off anyway. She glanced up at Terra, who was standing by the door holding her clothes to change into.

"What's so funny?" Raven asked, her voice rocky from sleep.

Terra just glanced down. Raven followed her eyes, feeling them narrow.

Beast Boy was curled up next to her side in his cat form, looking far too comfortable in his sleep.

Picking up the comforter, ready to lift it up suddenly and send the green cat flying, she paused. She had given the comforter to Beast Boy to sleep on. She frowned, deciding to just poke him awake instead of sending him through the air.

He growled when she poked him, so she did it again. Harder. "Get up, Beast Boy." She grumbled.

The emerald eyes finally flickered awake, not recognizing just what he had gotten into. Suddenly they widened comically. Raven hid her smile and continued to glare.

"I don't recall inviting you into my bed, Beast Boy." She said dryly.

Terra laughed as Beast Boy skittered off her bed in a hurry, landing on the floor. "I'll leave you two alone for now." She shut the door behind her as she left, still smiling widely.

As soon as the door shut, Beast Boy morphed back into his normal form, his hands ready to ward her off, "I'm so sorry, Rae. It's just, you were cold last night, so I gave you the comforter and then I didn't have anywhere to sleep, so I got on the very bottom of your bed. I didn't mean it, I swear!"

Raven stared at him for a moment, wondering why she wasn't more upset. She just nodded, "Okay."

He frowned, obviously confused, "Okay?"

"Okay. Thanks for keeping me from getting cold." She commented. She sat up in her bed, crossing her legs.

"That's it?" He asked, waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop.

She closed her eyes, "That's it. Now, stay quiet for a few moments, please."

"What are you-"

"Shush, B." She ordered, not realizing she used his nickname rather than his full name. She had a sudden thought and opened her eyes for a moment, "You might want to leave. Or turn on some music or something."

"Why?"

"I'm going to heal my shoulder and the cut on my face." Raven answered.

He looked curious and not inclined to leave. "Why can't I stay?"

"You can stay. You just have to be quiet. And not freak out." She added.

"Okay." Beast Boy looked curious, but didn't leave.

Raven sighed, she had warned him. Closing her eyes, she breathed in and out slowly, taking her time. She didn't have any energy to spare, so she had to make sure to do everything correctly the first time.

Working on her face first, since that would attract the most questions, Raven carefully sent a tiny piece of power into the skin, encouraging white blood cells to gather and skin to knit over the edges, closing the cut away. She didn't waste time trying to get rid of the redness. It would take up more power than she was willing to give and besides, it was just a little mark now.

Shifting her attention to her shoulder, she prepared herself for a bit more pain. A larger section of her power went to the loose and torn ligaments, feeling them begin to tighten and get back into their original positions. It pulled painfully for a moment and Raven was unable to hold back the tiniest gasp. She had expected it to hurt a lot more, but still, this wasn't the most relaxing thing in the world. It probably was easier because Beast Boy had shifted it back into position last night.

When her shoulder was done, she realized she still had a bit more left, so she turned the last dregs of her energy towards her final fractured rib. With a firm push of power, the broken edges snapped back together and sealed themselves carefully. She gasped as they shifted, tightening painfully before relaxing again. Examining herself in her mind's eye, she realized that although there were still bruises left, she was completely healed. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

Knowing that she was probably very pale and sweating, she wasn't pleased to find that Beast Boy was staring.

"What?" She asked, wiping the back of her hand across her forehead. It shook slightly and she frowned.

He stepped closer, "Are you okay?"

The concern wiped away her annoyance, "I'm fine. Just a little worn out."

"And…the noises?" He asked.

"I told you to leave or turn on something else." She reminded him. "Those noises were the sounds of healing. Bones shifting, ligaments and tendons reconnecting. Just all at once, rather than over a long time."

"You looked like it hurt."

"Healing always hurts, Beast Boy." Raven said, sliding off the bed. The room spun for a second, but she closed her eyes against it until everything slowed down. He moved out of her way as she opened up her wardrobe, looking for her uniform.

"Does it hurt when you heal other people?" He asked suddenly.

Raven paused, looking back at him, "Sometimes. Depends on the injury."

"So you just don't pour your power in and fix people?"

"Nothing is ever that simple." She answered, having gathered her outfit together. "It's a compromise between the laws of nature and myself. I'm allowed to heal others, but I have to take a measure of that pain as well in exchange. Not very much. Just enough to appreciate the gift I have."

"So when you healed me…?" He asked, looking upset.

She shook her head, "Just a slight headache, Beast Boy. Well worth it."

Not looking convinced, Beast Boy leaned against the closed window. "I didn't know that."

"It's not something I broadcast. You know the others would be less likely to let me help if they knew I was suffering along with them." Raven said. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone."

He frowned, "What else don't we know about you? Does anything else hurt that much when you do stuff?"

"No, Beast Boy. Healing is just…it's something different from my own powers. It was a gift. In exchange for what I was supposed to do." Raven was surprised he was so worked up about this.

He didn't look thrilled, but he pointedly tried to change the conversation, "So what did you heal today?"

Raven smiled, "Everything. I have some bruises, but that's it. Everything else is better."

"Really?" He smiled at that.

"Really." She headed towards the door, "I'm going to get changed." She stepped out into the hallway, closing the door carefully behind her.

"Good morning." Timotei said from right outside her door.

Raven smiled, "Morning."

"Ready for another exciting day at _şcoala de iad_?"

Laughing, she nodded, "I suppose."

Timotei grinned, "See you at breakfast."

She nodded, making her way to the bathroom. Terra was still in there, working on her hair. Raven jumped into the shower for a moment, rinsing off the sweat from her healing. The warm water pummeled her stiff shoulder, soothing it a bit more. Despite the fact that it was technically healed, it was still a little sore. As soon as the heat loosened the muscles, she stepped out and changed into her uniform.

Terra was leaning against the counter when Raven got out, smiling. The blonde looked around, making sure no one else was in the room.

"So. You were worried about his feelings. I think waking up in the same bed is pretty clear." She said without preamble.

"Funny, Terra." Raven said dryly, working the towel over her hair and combing it out.

"I'm serious, Raven. He likes you." Terra said. She suddenly gasped, making Raven jump. "You two should come with me and Devin on Friday! We'll make it a double date!"

Raven just glanced over, "I'm not one for dating. Double or otherwise."

"Come on. He took you out to dinner last night, didn't he? That's pretty date-ish to me."

"Beast Boy clearly said that it wasn't a date." Raven said, not mentioning the fact that he hadn't taken the other girl's number.

Terra scoffed, "He's probably just intimidated by you. I bet he wants to ask you out."

"Don't you think we have more important things to worry about, rather than dates?" Raven asked, picking up her things and walking out the door.

"You do. Not me. I'm not leaving." Terra answered. "Just consider it. Please?"

"Fine." She sighed, not wanting Terra to get into that pleading voice that went up into octaves that only dogs could hear. "I'll consider it."

Terra grinned widely, pushing open their door and getting back in. Raven was surprised that Beast Boy had appeared to have made her bed for her. He was lounging on it now, though, which would probably mess it up again, but the action didn't go unnoticed.

The girls quickly got their bags ready for school. Raven glanced to where Beast Boy was still relaxing on her bed. "We've got breakfast downstairs and then school. Would you like to hop in now and I'll try and sneak some food in, or should I come and get you later?"

He shrugged, "I'll be bored in here by myself. I'll come downstairs with you." Before they knew it, he was a lizard skittering around on Raven's bed. She held out her hand and he quickly stepped onto it.

As Terra stepped out into the hall, Raven lifted the lizard Beast Boy up to her eyes, "By the way, thanks for making the bed. And for the comforter last night."

If a lizard could show surprise, this one did. As it was, his tongue flicked out, the tiniest fang glinting against the green scales. Raven opened up her messenger bag, and let him slide in. She grabbed her black sweatshirt off the back of her chair and walked downstairs.

The kitchen was loud. It was always loud, it seemed. There were eleven other people living in the exchange student housing, besides Mary, Terra and herself.

Timotei was from Romania, and he shared the boy's floor with Marcus from Wales, Anthony from Italy, Gregory from Germany, Hui from China and Jasper from Australia. The girl's floor had Raven and Terra, Lisha from South Africa, Senna from Portugal, Dobrila from the Czech Republic, Michele from Ireland and Chi from Vietnam. Raven hadn't bothered to chat too many of the others, knowing that she would only be here for a while, but she enjoyed Timotei and Michele's company the most.

Sliding in between Terra and Michele, she helped herself to some of the eggs and bacon. She also grabbed one of the biscuits, dropping it into her bag before anyone noticed.

"So, Rachel." Michele said with a grin, flipping her dark red hair back over her shoulder, "I heard that you went on a date last night."

The others at the table just grinned. Apparently they all knew and it had been the topic of conversation.

"And who did you hear that from?" Raven asked calmly, staring at Timotei.

He shrugged, not bothering to even try and deny it, "In a house this small, gossip, it travels very easily."

"Hmm." Raven said, hoping they would let her eat her breakfast in peace.

Terra suddenly asked, "So…what's he like?"

Glaring up at her friend, Raven saw the humor in her eyes. The sneaky little blonde knew exactly what she was doing, and that Beast Boy was listening less than two feet away.

"He's nice." She finally said, knowing that she wouldn't get any peace at all today.

"Come on, Rachel," Lisha said, "Give us a little more than that. We're living vicariously through you." She laughed brightly.

Raven sighed, "What do you want to know?"

"What's his name?" Jasper asked, the uncouth accent somehow pleasing to listen to.

Deciding she might as well tell as much truth as possible, Raven answered, "Garfield."

Senna decided to join in, her dark eyes dancing as they grilled her. "How did you meet?"

"We…used to work together." Raven invented. Not entirely untrue.

"Does he go to Murakami?" Mary joined in, putting another plate of eggs on the table as she spoke.

"No. He's home schooled." Raven was glad she had so much practice keeping her expression calm. Otherwise, she would've been surprised at how easily the lies rolled off her lips.

Timotei swore, earning a glare from Mary, "Damn, I guess we cannot warn him away from our Rachel."

Raven didn't answer, eating her breakfast as calmly as she could. She carefully kept her eyes away from the messenger bag at her side.

"Is he good to you?" Dobrila asked. She had the hardest time with English, so her words were spoken very deliberately.

Raven nodded, "Yes."

"Where did he take you?" Terra asked, still smiling.

"A vegetarian restaurant." Raven answered, "I don't know the name of it."

"He's a vegetarian?" Timotei asked, sounded a little scornful.

Raven felt her bag shift slightly, "Yes. He's very much an animal person."

Terra muffled a laugh, though no one else got the joke.

"Are you going to see him again?" Mary asked, clearing a few of the empty plates away.

"Inevitably." Raven answered.

Senna frowned, "How's that?"

"He's one of my closest friends." Raven explain, wishing this conversation was over.

Mary smiled, "Well you know what they say, the best way to love is through friendship!"

Raven didn't answer, finishing her meal quickly. No one else was close to being done, even though she had been the last one down. She grabbed a few more rolls, "Well, I think I'm just going to leave early and skip the rest of the inquisition."

She picked up her bag, shaking her head at the comments that followed her out the door.

"Tell your boyfriend hi for us!"

"Don't let us catch you kissing at school!"

"Practice safe sex!" Timotei yelled the loudest. The others laughed and Raven shut the door behind her with a sigh.

Once she was far enough away from the house, she stepped into an alley and opened up her bag. "You can come out and walk for a bit, if you'd like."

Beast Boy flew out as a fly, popping back into his normal form once he was clear of her. He still wore the ring, so it was a very not-green teen that smiled at her.

Passing him the rolls she had grabbed in her hasty exit, Raven continued her walk to school. Beast Boy stepped into step beside her.

"So…" He began with a grin.

"Don't even start." She warned him. "I know it wasn't a date. Terra just worked it up to be one."

He was silent for a second, "Yeah." It sounded almost disheartened.

Raven frowned, "You're the one who made it clear it wasn't a date." She reminded him.

"I know." Beast Boy nodded. "I know what I said."

A little uncomfortable, Raven went quiet. Had he wanted it to be a date? Did she? Surprised at her own answer, she looked down at the sidewalk.

The past days with Beast Boy had been different, that was for sure. He was showing himself to be a caring, perceptive individual, though with a rather immature side as well. But she found that she liked it. Even if she didn't always laugh, she did find him humorous. And he was a very good friend to her. She could actually see them having a good time together. For a long time.

"If I were," Beast Boy said suddenly, "I mean, if I did ask you out on an actual date, hypothetically…would you shoot me down?"

Raven flushed, a slow smile spreading across her face, "Probably not." She said quietly.

He seemed to step lighter next to her, a wide grin splayed on his face. Raven avoided his eyes, a little nervous with what she might see. She hadn't been lying, though. She would probably say yes if he asked her out. Which was fairly surprising to her.

She shook her head slightly. Hard to believe that she, Raven, had a crush on Beast Boy, of all people. And it wasn't entirely unrequited.

They were a few blocks from Murakami, so she turned back to Beast Boy. He had finished his breakfast and looked a little shy himself.

She opened up her bag once more, only glancing up at him. "You should probably…"

He nodded, smiling, "Yeah. I should probably."

Before she could answer, he was back as a lizard and slithering into her bag. He settled among her books, careful not to be in a position where he would get squashed.

Raven continued the walk to school, her head down and a tiny smile on her mouth.

* * *

Beast Boy was so bored.

He didn't think he had ever been this bored in his entire life. Not when the GameStation was broken. Now when his favorite arcade had closed down for renovations. Not when there was a power outage for a day and nothing worked. Not once. But now…

If boredom could kill, he'd already be six feet under and moldy. He'd be mummified and locked in a tomb. He'd be cremated and...thrown wherever people throw the ashes of cremated people.

Whatever. He'd be long gone.

Wishing that lizards could groan in annoyance, he settled for lashing his tail a bit. He thought high school was horrible on its own, but what was worse than actually sitting through the classes as a student, was just listening to the classes. He tried dozing, but it wasn't very comfortable. Raven had put her sweatshirt in there for him, obviously making an effort, but it didn't help too much.

After four hours of this torture, the bell for lunch rang. He listened carefully and tried to make out what was going on around him.

Raven shuffled around above him, but when he heard a sudden thud and the clatter of books dropping, he tensed. It was probably the same jerk who knocked her around on Monday.

"Watch where you're going." The strange male voice told Raven.

She didn't reply. Soon, the bag was lifted off the floor and bumping against her side again. He recognized Terra's voice when she spoke up near Raven.

"Did he do it again?" Terra asked quietly.

"Not a big deal." Raven said quietly, though there was an undercurrent of annoyance below the calm.

"It is a big deal. He's such an asshole." Terra said. Beast Boy whole-heartedly agreed.

"It's fine, Terra." Raven said, "I'll see you after lunch."

"You sure you won't eat with me and the others?" Terra asked.

He almost heard Raven shaking her head, "No, it's all right. I'll just head to the library and get some homework done."

Terra sighed, "You sure know how to have a good time."

"Go eat with your friends. I'll see you later." Raven said, walking once more.

"All right. See you later." Terra replied, her voice farther away.

Beast Boy knew the moment they entered the library. It was quiet, broken only by the hushed murmurs of others who were studying. Raven kept walking, almost far enough away that he could barely hear anyone else.

The top of the bag flipped open as she put it on the ground; he realized he was slightly underneath a table. Her face appeared above him as she grabbed a few books from the bag.

"I'm sorry. This must be so boring for you." She whispered.

Beast Boy morphed into a mouse, sitting up on her sweatshirt and shrugging. Yeah, it was boring, but he'd rather be here than back at the Tower.

"Just another two hours and then we can go to the mall or the park or something. Whatever you want to do." She said.

It was surprising that she was concerned for him. His whiskers twitched a bit in the equivalent of a mousey smile. Raven pulled away, flipping open her books and beginning to write steadily.

Relaxing on the sweatshirt, he tried to sleep again. But every time he got close, his embarrassing question from this morning would flare up again.

Had he really asked Raven on a hypothetical date? And had she really said she would go? Whiskers twitching again, Beast Boy held back the laugh that would come out as squeaks. Maybe Cyborg hadn't been so off the mark. Of course, now he had to think of a time and place to take Raven out on a first date.

Although, according to everyone in her house, they had already had their first date. Listening to her housemates question her so thoroughly had been entertaining for him, though he hadn't expected her to be so honest. She had really been talking about him, just twisting the facts a bit so no one would know who he was.

He curled up tightly, trying to sleep while he had the chance. He had almost dozed off when a voice woke him up.

"Look who's all by her lonesome."

It was the jerk from earlier. Beast Boy sat up in the bag, seeing that the boy was standing across the table from where Raven was sitting. He tensed, not liking his voice.

"Hello, Sam." Raven said calmly.

There was a quiet shuffle and the boy stepped back.

"Can I please have my book back?" Raven asked, her voice tight.

The boy, Sam, laughed quietly so as not to draw any attention, "Devin isn't here to protect you today, Rachel."

Beast Boy glanced up, seeing that Raven had placed her hands in her lap. He ducked back into the bag when he noticed the vines of power playing over her fingers.

"Who says I need Devin to protect me from anything? Now, my book, if you wouldn't mind." She wasn't exactly asking.

"I'll give it back. On one condition." Sam said, stepping a bit closer to the table.

"This isn't a negotiation, Sam."

He continued as if she hadn't spoken, "Go out with me."

Beast Boy's ears went back; what was it with boys and Raven? She'd been here for three days and accosted by two guys already.

"Flattering," Raven said dryly, "but I'll have to turn you down. My book, please."

"It's not like anyone else is going to ask you out." Sam argued.

"Despite the fact that you are both wrong and incredibly rude, I still have standards. And you just don't meet them."

Beast Boy grinned another mousey grin. There's the fire that had been missing since she got hurt.

"I'm going to ask for my book one more time, Sam. You'd do well to give it to me."

Sam scoffed, "You're turning me down?"

"Wasn't that obvious?" Raven asked him. "My book, Sam. For the last time."

The boy started to walk away, presumably with Raven's book. He then decided to push it one step further, "Bitch."

Her hands flicked before Beast Boy could move. There was a rather loud thud and the boy fell to the ground, along with a heavy atlas and a notebook. Beast Boy stared, seeing Raven get up and grab her book. She shuffled around on the table, gathering up her school things and then picking up her bag.

Quickly and quietly, they moved to another part of the library, far away from the unconscious Sam. Once they were settled, she glanced down at Beast Boy.

"High school is making me dangerous." She whispered.

He nodded and gave a small squeak of laughter, making her smile softly.

Raven turned back to her work, uninterrupted for the rest of the lunch hour.


	12. Harlequin

A/N: Hello, all. I haven't done one of these before, but bear with me. First, thanks to my reviewers, Laarc, Beyond Backup, and spartan585. You three are the reason why I wrote and added another chapter this evening and it's dedicated to you. I really do appreciate and welcome comments. Please, if you have the time and something to say, say it.

Second, I mention a lot in this chapter. I do not own: Ghosts 'N Goblins, Battletoads, Nightmare Before Christmas, The Princess Bride, Reel Big Fish or I Fight Dragons. They all belong to people wiser, richer and more awesome than me. Excuse my name dropping.

That said, thank you and read on.

* * *

"Come on!" Beast Boy yelled, grabbing Raven's hand and tugging her towards the arcade. "You said whatever I wanted to do!"

Raven sighed, allowing Beast Boy to pull her through the throngs of people. She had said that. And it was the least she could do. Beast Boy had been surprisingly quiet and accepting about being stuck in a backpack all day. She owed it to him.

After her not so subtle rejection of Sam during lunch, things had gotten quiet for the last two periods of school. She had gotten 100% on the pop History quiz, which everyone else had failed. Of course, her teacher had to go and announce that out loud, which earned her glares from all of the students except Terra.

She sighed, wishing she hadn't answered all the questions. It would have been easy for her to just sit there and not write anything at all. But, she wasn't that kind of person. She had to give her all, all the time.

"Rae?"

She glanced up, seeing that Beast Boy had stopped and was staring at her. She forced a fleeting smile across her face, "Sorry. Arcade. Right."

"Are you okay?" He asked, ignoring when a man glared at them for being in the way.

"Fine."

He hesitated, "If you're tired, we don't have to go. We can just head back to Mary's and you can crash or something."

That wouldn't be fair to him, "No, it's fine. Let's go."

He was obviously torn in his desire for amusement and keeping her happy. Raven resolved the situation by walking into the arcade on her own, forcing Beast Boy to follow.

The lights and sounds were enough to make her cringe. It seemed that every game made it a necessity to have annoying high pitched theme songs and bright flashing lights. She stopped inside the door, blinking a bit and trying to keep from having a seizure.

"It's a bit much, your first time." Beast Boy said from behind her.

Raven settled for nodding, looking around the cramped arcade.

Many of the machines already had kids on them. Some of them, hoarding hot dogs and sodas, looked as if they were going to camp out there until closing. She wondered what game Beast Boy would choose.

"Come on. My game is in back." He said, weaving his way through the maze of cords and boys.

"Your game?"

"Yup." He unerringly led her to a battered machine, shoved up in one of the corners of the arcade.

"Ghosts 'N Goblins?" She asked, reading the title.

He grinned. Even with his holographic appearance, it was as if Raven could still see his fang. "One of the hardest games for arcade. He pointed at the screen, where a score of 10,000 blinked next to the initials 'BB'.

Raven watched as Beast Boy shoved a quarter into the machine and the title screen began. Beast Boy explained things to her as they happened.

"Okay, so the guy in his underwear is Sir Arthur and that's Princess Prin Prin with the purple hair." He said.

"Prin Prin?"

"And the guy who just stole her was Satan."

"Satan is Bigfoot with horns and wings?"

Raven watched as the tiny pixilated character threw on his armor to chase after the princess. Zombies suddenly burst out of the ground and headed towards him.

"Why is the game called 'Ghosts 'N Goblins' if you're fighting zombies?" She asked, oddly entranced by the game.

"You don't just fight them. You get to fight demons and cyclopces and stuff."

"Cyclopes'. And isn't that mixing up some mythologies, just a bit?"

"Raven." Beast Boy said seriously, glancing over his shoulder towards her, "It's a video game."

She smiled, "Okay. So you fight all the zombies and stuff until you reach the end?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that." He said, exasperated. "You have to pick up better and better armor, and there're bosses to defeat, and even when you get to the end, you have to start over again."

"Why?"

"Because you're told it was a trap by Satan. Then you have to go back to the beginning and start again at a higher level of difficulty and do everything all over."

"And you did this?"

"More than once."

She watched as Beast Boy got hit with a zombie and lost his armor. "You're naked." She noted.

"I'm still wearing underwear, chill." He told her. He ran across the screen and picked up a blinking item. He was now wearing armor again.

"How many times can you get hit?"

"Twice."

She raised her brow, "Seems a bit harsh."

"That's why it's a hard game." He got hit twice in quick succession and growled as he died. "Okay, your turn."

"What?" She asked, looking at him.

He shoved her in front of the console, "You're starting, go!"

Raven pressed a button half heartedly, noting that her character shot a lance from seemingly thin air. A zombie leapt up from beneath her and she lost her armor. It was quickly followed by a second zombie and then she was dead.

"Wow." Beast Boy laughed, "You're really, really bad at this."

She glanced back at him, glaring at him, but not really meaning it. "It's not like you told me how to move or anything."

He was still smiling, "Move with this." He indicated the joystick. "This is jump and this is shoot."

"I shoot lances."

"Yes." He said.

"How may do I have?"

"They're unlimited." Beast Boy said, getting another quarter.

"Seems a bit unwieldy." She commented.

He shook his head, "Again I say. Video game. Ready?"

"Not nearly."

"You're going."

Hairy, winged Bigfoot-Satan swooped down and picked up Prin Prin, and the formerly underwear-wearing Arthur was clothed in armor once more. Raven took two steps and died.

She stared at the screen. "I was actually trying that time."

Beast Boy smiled at her, "It's okay. It's a trap. You can't just run right forward, it's timed to get you that way."

Getting a little frustrated, she tried again. This time she waited a moment, managing to avoid the first five zombies and jump over the tombstone. She picked up a blinking, shiny thing.

"Nice, new armor." Beast Boy commented.

She managed to make it up the hill, but was then swarmed by zombies. She must have let out a tiny noise because Beast Boy leaned in and helped her, jumping and running while she did the shooting.

"Go right, go right!" She told him, shooting desperately.

"I am going right!" Beast Boy said in her ear.

"You're going left!" She said, unable to help a small laugh.

The tiny Arthur turned around and went the other way. She heard Beast Boy clear his throat, "That was a trick, you see. Now we avoid getting killed by the zombies as they jump up."

A zombie rose from the ground beneath them and they were once again naked.

"Nice trick." Raven said flatly.

She heard him laugh and they picked up another piece of glowing armor. Despite the going being a bit easier now, Raven noticed that Beast Boy was still helping her. She also noticed that he was right up behind her, arms on either side to reach the controls, and his chin resting on her shoulder.

She should have been more uncomfortable with the invasion of her personal space, but she wasn't. That bothered her a little.

"So," He said, chin bumping against her shoulder as he talked, "What sorts of mythologies is this game messing up?"

Raven thought about it, "King Arthur legends, ancient Greek, urban myth…the Wizard of Oz."

"What?"

"Satan looks like a flying monkey." She told him after taking a moment to shoot a few zombies.

He laughed, deftly leaping over a group of tombstones and zombies without being hit once. They approached a larger figure than usual and Beast Boy told her, "This is the Unicorn. He's a boss."

She stared at the screen. "That's a Cyclopes."

"Well, he's called the Unicorn."

"Why?"

"Raven," he sighed, "again…"

"Video game. I remember."

"Good. Now shoot him!"

She pressed the button quickly, amazed when the Unicorn-who-wasn't fell to the ground.

"Nice! We beat him." Beast Boy told her.

Three steps into the next level, Raven couldn't shoot fast enough and they died.

"Aww, dude." Beast Boy sighed.

She started to pull away from him, "Here, you can-"

Beast Boy didn't move his arms, "Where are you going?"

"It's your turn. I was getting out of your way." She told him. It was a little difficult to talk like this. If she turned around, they'd be uncomfortably close, but talking to the screen wasn't exactly nice, either.

"I liked playing like this." He told her. "Were you not having fun?"

Raven glanced over her shoulder at him. "I was." She admitted.

"Then, stay."

"But I'll keep you from winning."

Assured that she wouldn't leave, Beast Boy put another quarter into the machine, "That's not the point of playing."

With that simple statement, Beast Boy straightened and put his arms around Raven again, starting the game over.

Raven turned back to the screen, amazed at how much fun shooting zombies really was.

* * *

"It isn't Satan."

"Rae, it's a game. It can be Satan if it wants to."

"It's can't be hairy and be Satan." She told him.

Beast Boy hid his huge grin beneath a smaller, more comfortable one. The past two hours with Raven had been some of the best he could remember. He had only spent about three dollars, and it had been so much fun.

They had actually beaten the game together. Granted, it was only with some of his rather amazing video game skills that they did it, but still, it counted. Now the initials 'RNB' were inscribed in the computer, right below his own 'BB'.

"Come on," he had said to her, "it's funny. 'Ghosts 'N Goblins. Raven 'N B."

She had shrugged and told him to do whatever he wanted. He could tell that she was pleased they had won, though. It was fun to see her like this, her cheeks flushed and a smile never far from her face, even if it wasn't as wide as his own.

There was only one downside to this afternoon. Beast Boy would have much rather had the grey-skinned, violet eyed girl with him, rather than this pale, black-haired girl. But still, he wouldn't dwell on the negative things.

"Satan isn't always red and have horns. He could be hairy." Beast Boy argued.

She sipped at the water she had gotten from the food court. "I'm not saying he has to be red. I'm saying that never before has Satan been hairy. Human, animal, monster, yes. But never looking like Bigfoot."

He shrugged, and finished up the rest of his pizza. He hadn't gotten to eat anything at lunch, so he was gorging a bit. He wasn't certain he'd get anything tonight, if Raven didn't sneak something back up for him.

"So what's harder than that game? You said it was one of the hardest."

He glanced up, surprised that she was so interested. "It's the second hardest game."

"And the first?"

Beast Boy grinned, "Battletoads."

"Excuse me?"

"Yup. Giant, toads that could turn into wrecking balls and had massive fists. You think Ghosts had plot flaws." Beast Boy told her.

She stared at him, unsure if he was being truthful.

"I swear, that's what it's called." He said.

She took another sip of her water, thoughtful.

"Did you have fun?" Beast Boy asked once he finished his pizza.

Raven glanced to him, startled, as if he had interrupted her. She thought about it for a moment. "I did, actually."

"Good." He said, draining his soda.

Raven's gaze began to wander once again. "It's nearly six." She commented, looking at the large clock on the wall.

Beast Boy perked up. "We should head back."

Raven looked surprised, "Why?"

"It'll be really dark soon and not a lot of people will be out."

She didn't say anything, watching him as he gathered up their trash.

"I'd rather have you back at the house now. Before you-know-who gets another perfect opportunity." He admitted.

It clicked, then. Raven nodded, standing up and gather up her book bag. "Good idea."

They left the mall among a large crowd of people heading home for dinner. Beast Boy stayed close behind Raven, not willing to let her out of his sight.

Once they were far enough away from any followers, Raven made a turn into an alley. Beast Boy followed her, frowning. "What are you doing?"

"You should probably hide now, rather than later." She told him, opening up her backpack.

"Oh. Yeah." He had enjoyed being out with her, rather than hiding in her bag.

She looked uncomfortable, "I'm sorry, Beast Boy. I wish it was different. It's only for a few more days, though."

He forced a grin, "I know. Not a big deal. It was just…I was having a lot of fun."

"Me too." She admitted.

His smile was a little more honest now. "Glad to hear it."

Raven flushed a bit, eyes looking down and then back up at him, "Beast Boy, I-"

A beeping from Beast Boy's pocket cut off what she was about to say, and he silently cursed whoever was calling his communicator.

Flipping it open he just said, "What?"

"Nice to see you, too, B." Cyborg said. "Listen, Robin wants you back at the Tower for tonight. He wants to have you out and about in public tonight and in the morning, so Slade doesn't become too suspicious."

"What about Raven?" Beast Boy asked. "There's a reason I'm out here."

"I'm safe at the house, Beast Boy." Raven told him, though there was a hint of something behind her eyes. "Slade won't attack the entire house."

"We don't know that."

She smiled at him, "I'll be okay. Just go to the Tower. I'll see you tomorrow."

Beast Boy sighed. It made sense for him to be seen around the city by Slade. Maybe Slade would see him and assume that even if Raven wasn't out and about, that she was there, too. Which meant he would be focusing on the Tower and not Terra. Which meant he wouldn't be questioning Raven.

"Okay. But I'm making sure she gets home okay, first." Beast Boy said to Cyborg.

"Deal. See you in a bit. Bye, Rae."

"Goodbye." The empath said quietly.

When Beast Boy closed his communicator, the two stood silently for a minute.

"Well, let's go." He said quietly, none too thrilled.

"Are you going to…?" She indicated her messenger bag.

He shrugged, "I won't have to get into the house. I can just be Gar, walking you home."

He thought he saw a smile, but it was hidden as she looked down at her bag and closed it. "That'd be nice."

They were quiet as they walked side by side, not touching. Beast Boy began to get antsy, so he decided to start speaking.

"What's your favorite movie?"

She looked at him, "My favorite movie?"

"I was going to ask your favorite book, but I figured that you wouldn't have just one and I probably wouldn't know it anyway. So, movies."

Raven looked back to the sidewalk. "I have two."

"Okay."

"The Nightmare Before Christmas."

He should have figured that one. "And?"

She smiled a bit, "The Princess Bride."

Beast Boy had seen that one, too. "Really?"

She shrugged. "And yours?"

"I love them all. Favorite band?"

"I like classical music. But I admit, I enjoyed what little I heard of that band the other day…"

"Reel Big Fish?"

"Them. You?"

"Reel Big Fish and I Fight Dragons."

She nodded, obviously not knowing who the second band was.

"Color?" He asked, skirting a hole in the sidewalk.

"Blue."

They had reached the street the student housing was on. "Favorite video game?"

"Ghosts 'N Goblins, of course." She answered.

That made him laugh, "Me too."

They were standing in front of the student housing now. "Favorite-"

"We're here, Beast Boy." She told him. "You should head back to the Tower, now."

"Rae-"

"I'll be fine." She said firmly. "Really."

"You better be."

"I will be. You should get going before someone sees you morph."

He turned away, knowing that she was right but feeling a pull in his stomach at the thought of leaving. He managed to take two steps.

"Beast Boy?"

He looked back at her, questioning the faintly embarrassed look on her face.

"You'll…you'll be back in the morning, right?"

His chest jumped, just a little at the hope in her voice. Even if he had to leave and she was pushing him to do so, she didn't want him to go, either.

"Promise. Could you please just get inside before I go?"

She nodded. Stepping up the stoop easily, she waved at him, "Goodnight, Beast Boy."

Raven slipped through the door before he could answer. "'Night, Rae." He whispered.

Beast Boy stood on the sidewalk for a moment before turning and disappearing down an alley. Seconds later, a small bird launched into the air, flying high and quickly, all the way towards the Titan Tower.


	13. Celadon

A/N: Hey all. I apologize for the short chapter. I wanted to post something and there wasn't a way I could continue this without it getting way out of hand, length-wise. So I had to stop it where I did. Sorry. I hope you still like it, though. If you do or if you don't, leave me a review. Let me know what you think of it. Because inquiring minds want to know.

By the way, the song in this would be Bye, Bye Blackbird, by Diana Krall. Gorgeously beautiful.

* * *

Raven watched from the front window as Beast Boy disappeared into the night. Already, she felt a little more alone than before.

Dinner was in full swing in the kitchen, though she wasn't in the mood to join them. She snuck up the stairs, making it halfway before she heard a voice at the bottom of them.

"Rachel?"

Raven turned, seeing Mary. "Hi."

"Don't you want something to eat?"

"I had a big meal at the mall. I'm just going to go up and study." Raven told her.

Mary frowned, not liking the idea. "All right. But you're eating breakfast in the morning, whether you like it or not."

"Yes, ma'am." Raven said, moving past the landing before Mary could say anything else.

She leaned against her door when she closed it, sighing. Tossing her backpack on the bed, she stared at the empty room. A tightness was behind her eyes, signaling another headache. All of her homework was already done; even with her little altercation in the library, she had finished everything. That left her with nothing to do but read _the Grimault_ or stare into space.

She looked at the leather book with a feeling of disgust. The last thing she wanted to do now was read about the revenants. There was no new information in that book for her now about the creatures. She knew all she could about them, for now.

She switched on Terra's stereo, choosing the radio option and searching for something that would distract her for a bit. She stopped on and low and mellow voice, closing her eyes for a second.

Leaving the station on, Raven quickly changed into a pair of her pajamas, having no intention of leaving her room again for the night. She lied back on her bed, pushing her bag to the floor as she stretched out. She felt exhausted, though she hadn't done much today. Blaming it on her healing this morning, she closed her eyes, intending to rest for just a moment.

_Raven nearly smiled as she smashed two rocks onto either side of Slade. He didn't yell or scream, caught in her dark energy as she slammed him into the floor and walls, sickening crunches reverberating through the cavern. He had no power here; he was merely a messenger for her father – she was the demoness! She was the only one with power here!_

_ Slade, beaten and at her mercy just turned his head up to her._

_ "Look who's afraid of you now."_

_ Raven turned to her friends, who were staring at her with mixed expressions of shock and fear. She had recoiled from these looks before, shame filling her as her friends looked at her._

_ "Raven?" Beast Boy asked quietly, stepping forward._

_ Tendrils of her energy shot out, enveloping her friends. She gasped, what was happening? This isn't how it went!_

_ A hand landed on her shoulder and she stared up into Slade's face, unable to look away._

_ "This is what you were meant for. To serve me. To bring this to your world." He told her, gesturing at her friends._

_ Raven dragged her eyes back, finally realizing that the tendrils weren't coming from her, but from the shadows that slithered across the floor slowly. As they passed, the rocks were leeched of color, fading to a sick grey. The shadows got closer and closer to her friends._

_ "No!" She yelled, finally able to move. She fired her powers at the revenants, because that's what the shadows were. Her bolts bounced away from them uselessly, gouging holes in the granite, but leaving no mark on the shadows._

_ One by one, her friends started to scream. They were the most pain filled sounds Raven had ever heard. Every one of them begged for her to help them and she tried. She tried so hard. She used up more energy than she could possibly have had, She tried to burn them, slice them, lift her friends away from them, but it was all useless. She couldn't save them._

_ The screams began to disappear, cut off with wet sounds. A crunching sounded, snaps and the tear of flesh the only noises, save one._

_ Beast Boy was the last one left, crimson stains covering his green skin. His eyes were wide as he stared at her._

_ "Help me!"_

_ How she wished she could. Tears falling down her face, she tried to save him. She fell to her knees when he stopped calling for her, knowing what the silence meant._

_ The ground before her was covered in trails of blood. All that was left of the Titans._

_ Slade knelt in front of her. She didn't even have the energy to glare at him. She just raised red-rimmed eyes to him._

_ "There is no alternative, Raven. You know that. One way or another, you'll cause this." He told her._

_ She didn't answer._

_ The revenants loomed up behind Slade, not attacking, just waiting. She couldn't bring herself to look at them, choosing the mask of her enemy instead._

_ "There's no way to escape this."_

_ Slade reached up his hand to the bottom of his mask and Raven heard a latch click. She watched, entranced as he slowly began to pull his mask away from his face._

_ Slade lowered it. Instead of his face, there was only another revenant staring back at her from Slade's suit. She was able to scream just once as it leapt towards her with a monstrous shriek-_

Raven gasped, sitting straight up in her bed. Tears were pouring down her face and she couldn't stop shaking. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to slow her breathing.

It was dark in the room and there was the sound of Terra breathing deeply. Raven looked over to the clock on Terra's desk- 2:35 am. She must have fallen asleep for longer than she wanted. Raven rubbed her eyes, willing herself to stop crying.

She shivered, realizing suddenly that she was absolutely freezing. She burrowed beneath her blankets, curling up into the tiniest ball she could manage.

There is no way she would let the revenants and Slade win. Absolutely not. Besides, it had only been a dream, nothing more. Together, with her friends, they'd keep Slade from even getting close to summoning the revenants. They'd win, just as they always did.

Despite her position and the time of night, Raven's eyes remained wide open, the occasional shudder running down her small frame. When the sun finally rose, Raven rose with it, having barely slept at all.

* * *

Her morning shower wasn't soothing or relaxing. She jumped with every noise and all the shadows looked ominous to her. Her shoulders were tense all the time, leaving her on edge.

Raven stepped out quickly, looking in the mirror. Even with a holographic appearance, she looked haggard. Her eyes were bloodshot and a little swollen, the shadows beneath them deep and dark. She touched them softly.

She turned her back on her reflection, too tired to care or even consider finding makeup to cover up the shadows. Padding quietly back to her room, she pushed the door open.

The sun had been rising through her shower, but her room wasn't very bright. She was tired and stressed and not as observant as she should have been. A figure moved in the shadow by the door, having been standing behind it.

Raven flinched away from him violently, gasping. The figure froze, holding up his hands.

"Rae?"

Beast Boy stared at her, clearly worried as she tried to calm her breathing. She moved over to her bed, which was disheveled from her restless night. She sat on the edge, holding her head in her hands. Beast Boy followed her, eyes shadowed and a thick wave of moss green rolling off of him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, keeping his voice quiet for the still sleeping Terra.

She rubbed her eyes, annoyed that her fingers were trembling. "Nothing."

"Raven, your heart is pounding like crazy. What happened?"

He wouldn't drop it unless she answered him honestly. "I really don't want to talk about it. Please." The last word wasn't much more than a whisper.

He stared at her, his eyes still somehow looking green even while he was wearing the ring. Raven avoided his gaze, willing her hands to stop shaking and her heart to stop beating so hard.

When she was feeling slightly more in control, she looked at Beast Boy, who had sat next to her on the bed.

He looked just as bad as she felt. His hair was unruly and clearly not combed. His eyes were sunken in and he looked as if he hadn't slept all night.

"You look tired." He told her.

"So do you."

Beast Boy shrugged, "I was out running patrols all night. What's your excuse?"

"Couldn't sleep." She answered. A small knot had relaxed in her shoulders now that he was back. She had grown used to him being around and with her dream last night…it would have been nice if he had been there.

With the thought of her dream, the images of what happened to him beneath the teeth of the revenants flashed through her mind, making her blanch and shudder.

Beast Boy, whose frown had only just begun to fade, touched her back, "Seriously, what's going on?"

She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut tightly, as if the image could be pushed out of her head. "Nightmare. Just a very, very bad nightmare."

Beast Boy chuckled softly, "You too, huh?"

Raven glanced up at him, surprised.

"There's some scary stuff going on. It's okay to be afraid." He told her.

"What was yours about?" She asked.

The colors flickered too quickly for her to catch them, but then Beast Boy grinned. "Cyborg broke the GameStation. Permanently. I could never play ever again. You?"

He was clearly lying, but it had been a very personal question to ask him. She let it slide, figuring he wanted to talk about it as much as she did. She played along, still feeling a bit better.

"Odd. I had the exact same dream." She said quietly.

"Scary stuff, right?" His smile was only a bit forced.

"Terrifying."

Beast Boy still hadn't taken his hand from her back. It warmed her a bit; she never had chased away the coldness that had stuck with her after her dream. As if he had read her mind, he moved his hand away, sitting back against the wall. She ignored the sudden hollowness in her stomach, choosing instead to reach across him to get _the Grimault_. She hadn't read at all last night. Maybe there had been something she had missed. Something that would keep her nightmare from coming true.

Seeing what she was going for, Beast Boy picked the book up and passed it to her. His wrist brushed her fingers and he flinched, taking the book away.

"What-" She was about to ask, still going after her book.

"Geez, Rae! You're freezing." He grabbed the comforter from the tangle at the end of her bed, tugging it around her shoulders. His arm somehow managed to find its way around her shoulders as well, keeping the comforter in place.

"My book?" She asked.

Beast Boy shook his head, "Forget it. Ignore that thing for a bit. You don't need to be reading it all the time. You need to keep from getting sick. You can't get healed up and then give yourself a cold."

"What am I supposed to do, then?" She asked him, a bit coolly. She didn't like sitting and not being productive.

"Try relaxing, Rae. It's actually pretty nice." He told her before falling silent.

She sighed, staring at the floor. The rays of the rising sun were just beginning to climb up the wooden floorboards, giving the room a lighter glow. Beast Boy's arm around her forced her to lean a bit sideways, into him, in order to get comfortable. Against her will, Raven felt her eyes begin to droop, the warmth and comfort she was feeling chasing away the frost from her nightmare.

Without realizing, and without meaning to, Raven's head dropped to the side, leaning on a warm and solid shoulder. Quite unintentionally, she fell asleep.


	14. Fern

Beast Boy knew the moment Raven fell asleep. Her breathing slowed and her heartbeat finally began to relax. She had been really frightened. That bothered him.

He shifted slightly, holding back his own yawn. It had been a long night for him. He had returned to the Tower, running three patrols before four in the morning and had gone to catch a few hours of sleep before Raven had to go to school. Those hours hadn't been restful in the least.

Although he had lied to her about what his nightmare had been about, he wasn't lying about having one. He just wasn't entirely sure he wanted to share it with her. She clearly felt the same, so there were no hard feelings between them.

He dozed a bit, leaning his head against the wall. A sudden beeping made him jump, staring into the room.

Terra turned off her alarm with a small groan, sitting up. She looked over at Raven's bed, her eyebrows rising at the situation.

She didn't make a comment, though. She just smiled and got her things ready quietly, slipping out the door to take a shower.

Raven still hadn't moved from her place against his shoulder. She must really be exhausted if Terra's alarm hadn't woken her up. Beast Boy took the opportunity to look at her face.

He hadn't been lying; she looked tired. The bags beneath her eyes were dark and she looked paler than usual. Her eyes were sunken in and he had noticed, before she went to sleep, that they were pretty swollen and bloodshot, too. Almost as if she had been crying.

He frowned, hoping that wasn't the case. It would be horrible, if the one night he wasn't here, she needed him the most. It didn't even cross his mind that she wouldn't have asked him for help. He was learning to just give it anyway.

Terra returned to the room, looking at them. Her hair was still wet, but she was dressed like Raven in her uniform.

"She okay?"

Beast Boy shrugged the shoulder Raven wasn't leaning on. "Tired, apparently."

Terra hung up her towel and grabbed her backpack, "I'm gonna head down to breakfast, you might want to wake her so she can eat something."

"She's exhausted. I think she can miss one meal." His voice was hushed, trying not to wake the sleeping girl.

Terra picked a book off of her desk, slipping it into her bag, "Well, she didn't eat anything last night at dinner, either. Mary was worried. You might want to wake her anyway."

"She didn't eat?" Raven barely had any weight to lose, she couldn't go skipping meals if she was going to get back up to her fighting strength.

"She said she ate at the mall before coming home." Terra paused at the door.

Beast Boy shook his head, "No. She didn't."

"Then you better get her to eat something now." With that, Terra left the room, shutting it firmly behind her.

He sighed, not wanting to wake her from the sleep she really needed, but not wanting her to go without eating, either. Beast Boy shifted a bit, asking, "Rae?"

She didn't respond, so he tried again.

"Raven. Wake up."

Her eyes slowly opened, looking as bad as they did before. Realizing what had happened, she sat up and away from Beast Boy, rubbing her face. "Sorry." She mumbled.

"It's okay." He could think of many things worse than having Raven fall asleep on him. In fact, this was probably one of his better moments. Not that he was going to tell her that.

"How long was I asleep?" She asked, frowning at the clock and Terra's empty bed.

"Half hour, maybe. Not long." Beast Boy watched as she stood up, putting the comforter back on her bed. "So."

Raven turned back to him, "So?"

"You okay?"

Her eyes softened just a bit, "I'm fine."

"Okay. Then go get something to eat. Terra said something about Mary getting angry if you didn't come down…"

She shook her head slightly, "I forgot about that. Why don't you stay here and try to get some sleep? I'll come back up and get you after breakfast."

He should go with her. That was the whole point of him being here. But he was pretty exhausted. "All right. But don't try to do anything stupid, like leaving me here."

"Wouldn't dream of it." She replied, heading out the door.

He smiled and lied back on her bed. Within seconds, he was sound asleep.

* * *

"Hey, Rachel?"

Raven paused, lifting her bag higher on her shoulder. It was time for lunch and the hallways were packed with teenagers rushing to get in line to get food. She looked at the girl who had called her.

She was in her history class, but Raven couldn't place her name. The girl seemed to recognize that.

"Hi. I'm Laura." She looked nice enough, with brown eyes and plain, mouse brown hair.

"Hi." Raven answered, not entirely sure what was going on.

"Listen," Laura said, holding onto her bag with one hand as she spoke, "I'm kind of bombing in history right now. I've got a tutor all lined up, but she can't start until next week and I have a make-up quiz tomorrow. I was wondering if you could help me out after school today, just on the material from the quiz. I'll pay you."

Raven hesitated, "I'm actually going to be leaving school pretty soon…going back home."

"This is a one-time thing. I'm only asking because I can't get another F on a quiz without risking failing the class altogether. You're awesome at history. Please?" Laura stared at her, clearly begging.

"Do you want to meet in the library?" Raven asked, holding back a sigh.

"Sure. I'll be there right after class." Laura looked at her cell phone, "Shoot, I'm late for another study session. I have to go. Thanks again, Rachel!" With that, the brunette was gone.

Raven pushed her way through the crowd, holding her bag in front of her protectively. She didn't want Beast Boy getting too jostled around in her bag, so the first opening she saw to the courtyard sent Raven off like a shot.

She made a bee-line to the table where she usually ate with Terra. She slowed her pace a bit when she noticed Terra was already there, with Devin, Natalie and Cassie. She tried to go off in another direction, but Terra had already spotted her.

"Rae-chel!" She yelled, catching herself.

Raven headed over there, holding back a sigh.

"Hi." She said to everyone when she got there.

Natalie snorted and Cassie barely spared her a glance. Devin was a bit nicer.

"Hi, Rachel. How are you?"

"I'm fine. Thanks." Raven answered, forcing a small smile.

Terra had glared at the other two girls, "Why don't you join us for lunch?"

She was already getting a headache from the dislike that boiled from Natalie and Cassie. She couldn't spend a whole forty minutes there.

"That's okay. I was going to head over there." She gestured towards the smaller courtyard, not usually chosen to eat in because of its lack of chairs and tables.

"Are you sure?" Terra asked, apologies flowing off of her.

Raven nodded, "Thanks anyway."

Before anyone could make another comment, Raven walked off. The smaller courtyard was almost empty; only a few people sitting on the grass, reading or checking their phones. Raven picked a seat beneath one of the trees, out of sight of the other students.

She pushed her bag open, "You can come out for a bit, if you'd like."

A green mouse scampered out, looking a little dazed.

"Did I wake you?"

He shook his head, but Raven figured she had.

"Sorry." She pulled out her books and began to work on her homework. Conceivably, this would be the last time she ever did homework for this school. Or for any school, for that matter. The thought made her smile.

She spared a glance for her companion. He was sitting still, looking all around the courtyard, as if he expected someone to jump out at any moment. His tail lashed behind him; he was clearly agitated. For a mouse, he looked very tense and serious.

"Beast Boy?"

He flinched, spinning around to face her.

"Sorry. Are you okay?" Raven asked, reminded of her own reaction to him this morning.

He didn't respond, just turned back to look around the courtyard, his tiny nose lifting every few moments to test the air.

Raven stared at him before dropping her gaze to her book. It was sometimes easier to talk to him when he was in his animal form. She couldn't read his expressions.

"I dreamed about Slade and the revenants last night." She said, not really directing the comment to him.

Beast Boy didn't turn around, though he stopped twitching.

"Somehow, I had released them. They attacked you all. I couldn't…there was nothing I could do." She spoke quietly. It was a bit of a relief to talk about it, especially in the bright sunlight and to one of her best friends.

She cleared her throat, "When you were all…gone, Slade told me it was inevitable. I was meant to destroy the world, one way or another. Then he took off his mask and another revenant jumped out. Then I…woke up." She wouldn't tell him about the screams or the crying. That was going a little too far.

Raven finally looked up at Beast Boy, seeing that he had turned around. His tiny head was cocked slightly to the left, making her smile just a bit.

"I don't think I've ever seen a mouse look so serious." She told him.

He squeaked, whiskers twitching. He stepped across the grass, climbing up her leg to sit on her knee. Once there, he stared at her.

Out of anything else to say, she said, "Thanks for listening."

He tugged on his oversized ears, as if to say, _That's what I do_.

Beast Boy curled up on her knee, done surveying the courtyard, and promptly fell asleep. Raven, feeling much more light-hearted, picked up her book and continued working on her homework.

* * *

Beast Boy was half asleep on the walk home. The time Raven had spent in the library tutoring had been long and pretty boring for him. He had dozed most of the time. Apparently, when Raven had finished, she didn't wake Beast Boy, leaving him undisturbed. He started to wake up when they were more than halfway back, but was still too out of it to get out and walk. The sun hadn't set yet, but it was low enough so it wasn't shining through her black bag. It got hot in there in the sun, though he hadn't complained about it. Her steps were quiet, the only noise on the street. It was nice. He barely noticed when Raven inhaled sharply, but the next sounds had him tensed and painfully awake.

"Hello again, dear."

Beast Boy felt Raven get pulled away from the street roughly. Her bag fell to the ground, jostling Beast Boy around. It had opened up, books spilling out onto the alley's ground. Shielded by the sweatshirt, he watched from beneath one of the books in his spider form. His chest tightened as he witnessed the scene in front of him. It was as if his nightmare from the previous night was coming true.

Slade was there, looking as he ever did in his black and orange. Beast Boy glared at him with all eight eyes, wishing more than ever he could just turn into a raptor and deal with Slade permanently. Never before had he been so willing to throw aside the rules the Titans had set for themselves; no killing the criminals. But sitting there, in the cold alley, watching his closet friend held at the mercy of his enemy? Beast Boy couldn't remember why he'd ever agreed to that rule.

Raven was on her knees, the arm Slade had already injured twisted up behind her once more. Thank god she had healed it before, otherwise it would be excruciating. It didn't escape Slade's notice, though.

"Got someone to heal you up, did you?" He asked calmly, barely sparing a thought for the girl he was hurting.

"I didn't say anything about you." Raven said, her voice pinched.

"That good to hear. Perhaps you aren't quite as useless as I had originally anticipated." Slade commented. He dragged her to her feet with her twisted arm and the pain flashed across Raven's face.

"Now, what do you know about the missing Titan?" Slade whispered.

Raven's eyes were closed, "What missing Titan?"

"The demon girl. She hasn't been seen in a few days. Where is she?" Slade twisted her arm further.

"I-I don't know." Raven managed, her face pale. "The Titans East were here for a while, maybe she's gone to help them."

"Which ones from the Titans East?" Slade asked.

"The archer and the t-twins." Raven said. Even from his position, Beast Boy could see the beads of sweat forming on her face from the pain.

"Interesting. And she's gone to help Steel City?"

Raven shook her head, "I don't know for sure. But that's what I've seen."

"Hmm." Slade looked out to the street, still holding Raven tightly. "And your roommate, Terra. She hasn't shown any oddities?"

"No. Nothing." Raven said.

Too quickly for either Raven or Beast Boy to see, Slade had shifted positions, holding Raven by the throat against the alley wall. She coughed, hands holding onto Slade's wrists; her feet dangled a foot off the ground.

"Remember, girl, if you're lying to me, I will find out. And it will be most unpleasant for you." His voice was almost soothing.

She shook her head as best she could, "I'm not lying." She gasped out, hands scrabbling at his wrist.

"Of course, I could simply end you now, save myself the trouble of coming after you later." Slade said, pressing harder.

Beast Boy stepped out from his cover; if Slade wasn't going to stop, it was up to Beast Boy to do it. Raven's wide eyes saw him.

"No!" She cried out.

Both Slade and Beast Boy stopped, but the latter knew the words had been meant for him. He retreated back beneath the books.

"No?" Slade asked, as he loosened his hand enough to allow Raven to take in a shuddering breath.

"I could s-s-still be useful." Raven breathed out.

Beast Boy could hear the smile beneath the mask, "Do you so fervently wish to serve me?"

Raven shuddered, but she nodded awkwardly, and whispered "I…yes."

Beast Boy stared in disbelief, not knowing where Raven was finding the strength to continue lying like this. He knew how she truly felt about Slade and she had him convinced that she wanted to help him.

"Then I shall let you live another day. But remember, if you've lied…"

"I remember." The end of her word didn't come out and she fought to breathe.

Slade let go of her throat, ignoring as Raven slid down to her knees, coughing weakly.

The criminal knelt to the ground in front of her, grabbing her chin and tilting her head up. He turned her chin to the left and to the right, looking at the bruises that were already forming around her pale throat. Beast Boy fumed from hidden position, wishing he could rip Slade's hands off just to keep him away from Raven.

"You intrigue me, girl." Slade said, leaning even closer. "Something about you…" He suddenly let go, letting Raven fall to her hands and knees. Slade stood in front of her, "Consider this a good faith gift; I'll do no more damage to you tonight."

He seemed to be waiting, so Raven whispered, "Thank you."

"We'll be in touch."

Raven stiffened at the words, but before she could answer, Slade was gone.


	15. Honeydew

A/N: Two chapters for you today. :) I'm so nice. However, be prepared for a bit more time between updates now. Things are getting serious and I need to make sure each chapter is exactly as I want it before I'll put it up. I expect a minimum of eight-ish more chapters. I have a basic outline in my head, but very little written of it so far. So just be prepared for that.

I don't want to beg for reviews. I hate writers who do that. If you have the time, do it. If not...well, whatever. Enjoy.

* * *

Beast Boy made to come out immediately after Slade left, but Raven held up a finger, her eyes closed. He didn't want to remain where he was, but he listened to her.

After an agonizing few moments, she put her hand down. Beast Boy was at her side and in his normal form within seconds.

"Rae?" He asked, worried that he'd hurt her if he touched her.

"My communicator, Beast Boy, please." Her voice was haggard, breaking with every word.

He grabbed it from her bag, handing it over to her, "What's-"

Raven ignored him, "Raven calling Robin."

Beast Boy bit his lip, upset and worried.

The answer came almost immediately, "Robin here. What's wrong? Is it-"

"I think he knows, Robin."

The statement was meant with silence.

"Why do you think that?" Robin asked quietly.

Raven's hands were shaking, "H-he said something. Something from when he was delivering the prophecy to me on my birthday. The exact words, Robin."

"It could just be a coincidence, Raven." Robin said after a moment.

She closed her eyes, obviously having expected this.

"How are you?" Robin asked.

"Fine." Her voice was dull.

Beast Boy touched her shoulder in reassurance, and she dragged her eyes up to his.

"What did he ask?"

Raven handed Beast Boy the communicator, closing her eyes.

"He wanted to know where Raven was. Her disappearance wasn't quite so subtle." Beast Boy answered Robin. "She told him that the Titans East had stopped by and that maybe she had gone with them. He asked about Terra again."

"How is she, Beast Boy? Really."

Beast Boy turned away from the faintly glowing empath; she was healing herself, he knew. "She's worried, Robin. I think she really believes Slade knows who she is. He…he tried to strangle her. Almost dislocated her arm again. But she convinced him that she wanted to work for him, so he dumped her on the ground." He left out the part about Slade's rather intimate touch towards Raven, knowing Robin would be just as thrilled as he was about it.

"We're already on our way to your position." Robin said.

"Go south. He went south for three miles before heading east." Raven said suddenly. Her voice was stronger, but it still sounded a little hopeless.

Robin heard her, "Okay. Raven, I'm not brushing aside your concerns. How are you recovering?"

"I'm healed up fine. My power is still a little low, but I should be at full strength by Saturday sometime." She answered.

"You two should head back here Saturday morning. As soon as it's light out. All right?" Robin said.

Something seemed to ease in Raven, she spoke without meaning to, "I can come home?"

Beast Boy swallowed hard at the unconcealed emotion in her voice. He had no idea how much the Tower had meant to her, but now he knew. It was the only real home she had ever known. And when she needed that strength and familiarity, she was forced to leave it. Robin appeared to be just as moved by her words.

"Yeah, Raven. You can come home. We've all missed you. A lot." The boy wonder said without any judgment in his voice.

She realized what she had said and flushed a little, "Good. Then we'll see you on Saturday."

Taking her cue, Robin said, "Keep close to Terra tonight and tomorrow. In fact, maybe you should bring her back here with you on Saturday."

"Okay." Beast Boy said. "Will do. Good luck finding him."

The next comment was meant for Beast Boy alone, so Raven pretended not to hear.

"Take care of her, Beast Boy. Something about all this…it just doesn't feel right."

"I will, Rob."

"Good luck you two, Robin out."

The communicator shut off with a beep.

Beast Boy put it back in Raven's bag, lifting the strap over his shoulder.

"I can carry it." Raven argued.

"Rae, come on. This is the least I can do. The only thing I can do." He tried to keep the sharp tang of hopelessness out of his mouth, but it spilled over anyway.

She stepped over to him, "I'm sorry."

Shaking his head, Beast Boy said, "I don't want you to be sorry. It's not your fault. I just wish I could have done something. Anything." He shuddered, "Having to just sit back and watch him hurt you? That was…" He trailed off, unable to think of anything to call it.

Raven didn't try to come up with a word. She just stepped closer to him and softly put her hand in his. It seemed so small in his hand.

Startled, he met her gaze. Despite the hologram, Beast Boy imagined he could see the violet eyes he loved starting back at him.

Wait – loved? Before he could think about this anymore, she spoke.

"I'm okay now. It helped, knowing that you were close. Last time, I was…it had been much more difficult. Thank you for staying with me."

"Rae," Beast Boy started, not entirely knowing how this would end, "I-"

"And what do we have here?"

They both jumped and turned, seeing Timotei and Jasper at the entrance to the alley.

Timotei grinned, "Have we interrupted a _întâlnire iubitul lui_?"

Raven responded to him in Romanian, and although Beast Boy couldn't understand the words, he knew that Raven was swearing at him right now. He grinned, squeezing the hand that she still hadn't pulled away.

When she was done surprising Timotei with her extensive insults, she switched back to English, "Gar was walking me home."

"Why stop there?" Jasper asked with a smile, "Why doesn't he join us all for dinner?"

Raven looked concerned, "I don't think-"

"Sounds like fun." Beast Boy stepped in. He tugged Raven to the street where the others waited, following them as they led him to the house.

"Let's just hope Mary is making a vegetarian meal." Timotei commented.

Beast Boy shrugged, "I'm sure I'll manage."

"So Rachel tells us that you're homeschooled." Jasper said. It appeared that the questions would begin now.

"Yeah. My uncle is teaching me."

"And how did you meet Rachel?"

"We used to work together."

Glad that he had been paying attention the other day when they had been grilling Raven, Beast Boy was able to answer their questions easily. He still kept hold of Raven's hand. After all, it's what a boyfriend would do.

"What were you two doing out so late?" Jasper asked.

"I had to finish up a project for class. Gar met me outside the school when I was finished so he could walk me home." Raven said, falling into the conversation easily.

The housing was in sight. The boys clambered up the stoop, shoving the door open loudly, "Mary! We've brought a guest for dinner!"

There was a bit of a rumble in the kitchen, as every single houseguest and Mary came to see who exactly the guest was. Seeing Raven and Beast Boy's hands clasped, it got quiet.

Beast Boy cleared his throat, "Hi."

"Everyone," Raven said quietly, "this is Garfield Logan. Gar, this is…everyone."

He grinned and waved, seeing Terra behind the group with a giant smile on her face.

Mary smiled, "Well, good thing it's pasta tonight. I understand you're a vegetarian, Garfield."

"Yes, ma'am." They headed into the kitchen, taking their spots around the crowded table. The two of them slipped into seats between Terra and Timotei.

"So, Gar," Timotei began once they all had a heaping helping of pasta in front of them, "what are your intentions with our Rachel?"

Raven stiffened, glaring past Beast Boy to the Romanian student and hissed, "_Taci din gură înainte de a te-am ranit, _Timotei."

The boy just laughed, "Well?"

"Um," Beast Boy said, "dating her is my intention."

"Do you love her?" Asked a smiling redheaded girl; he thought he remembered Raven calling her Melissa…no, Michele!

Beast Boy flushed, seeing Raven do the same.

"Enough," Mary said, "don't go embarrassing the poor boy, otherwise he'll never come over here again."

Grateful for the interruption, Beast Boy dug into his dinner, hoping he could avoid most of the other questioning for a while.

"What is it that you want to do, Garfield?" Mary asked suddenly. The other students laughed at her.

Beast Boy swallowed his rather inhuman mouthful, as he thought quickly, "Law enforcement."

"Don't you think you are a little small for law enforcement?" Another boy asked. He sounded German.

Beast Boy glanced up, "No."

"Gar is more than capable." Raven said from his side, her attention focused on her plate.

The compliment made him smile, though he hid it in his glass of water.

Terra seemed to finally take pity on them and said, "So, Chi, how were your classes today?"

The small Asian girl looked up with a smile and replied carefully. The conversation quickly turned towards the other members of the table, leaving Raven and Beast Boy free to eat in peace.

Dinner was over quickly, most of the other students disappearing into their own rooms or into the living room.

Beast Boy gathered up a few plates, bringing them over to Mary at the sink, "Thanks for having me over for dinner. Sorry it was such short notice, but those guys were pretty insistent."

"It's no problem, Garfield." Mary smiled, "We all like Rachel, despite how quiet she is; it's nice to see that she's found herself a nice young man."

The girl in question was currently over in the living room, talking in very fast Romanian to Timotei, who was grinning.

"I like her, too." Beast Boy said, helping Mary wash the dishes.

The woman laughed, "Clearly."

Surprised, Beast Boy looked up at her, the question obvious in his eyes.

"I saw the way you watched her at dinner. It's love." Mary said confidently.

Beast Boy looked back into the soapy water, not entirely sure he wanted to argue. He finally settled on saying, "Don't tell Rachel. I don't think she feels the same."

Mary laughed, leaning over to Beast Boy and whispering conspiratorially, "She's pretty close."

Surprised, he glanced at the older woman, "How…?"

"It's all in the eyes, dear." She answered, washing the last of the plates and putting it into the sink to dry.

With nothing left to do in the kitchen, Beast Boy moved into the living room. Timotei looked up as soon as he heard him.

"Ah, and here he is!"

Raven glanced over her shoulder, smiling a bit when she saw him.

Feeling light, he made his way over to Raven's side. With a confidence that surprised even him, he took her hand again. Raven didn't make a comment or pull away.

Beast Boy looked at the clock, knowing that they would all be heading to their rooms soon, "I should get going."

Raven nodded, "Probably. I'll walk you out."

Timotei stood up, "Come on, Rachel, you didn't answer my question! _Îl iubeşti_?"

She stopped, and not for the first time that evening, Beast Boy wished he could understand what they were saying. He watched as Raven considered for a moment and then turned back to the boy.

"_Cred_ _ca, surprinzator, eu sunt la poziţia în această direcţie_." She answered quietly.

Timotei grinned widely, leaning back in his chair. "That's what I thought."

She tugged Beast Boy to the door, "Come on."

They stepped out into the dark, Raven closing the door firmly behind her. It was colder than usual; Beast Boy shivered a bit and saw goose bumps on Raven's skin.

"I'll just head back into your room and hang out there until you show up." He said quietly, not wanting to be overheard. He noticed that neither one of them had tried to release their hands.

"I'll be up in a bit. I think some tea sounds nice." Raven answered, just as quietly.

"Are you sure you're okay? Just because you're healed doesn't mean you're fine."

"I'm…" She shrugged, "I'll be fine. I just want to get back to the Tower and be done with all of this."

He didn't make a big deal that she had answered him honestly. It would only annoy her. "Okay. I'll see you in a bit then."

Raven flushed, not letting go of his hand when he tried to pull away. "Don't look, but my housemates…they're watching from the windows. I think they're expecting…"

Beast Boy retrained his natural curiosity and didn't look. "Oh."

"You don't have to." She said, obviously flustered, "It's just that they…"

He stepped back up the stoop, "It's okay, Rae."

"Really, you don't have to-" He had never seen her so uncomfortable before.

"I know I don't have to. Maybe I just want to."

That startled her into silence. She met his eyes, searching for the punchline.

With a calm that he really didn't feel, Beast Boy leaned forward and brushed a kiss across her cheek. He hoped that she didn't hear his heart pounding. Raven didn't pull away, which he figured was a good sign considering what she was capable of.

"See you in a bit, Rae." He detached his fingers from hers and hurried down the steps. Although he told himself not to, he couldn't resist looking back as he walked down the street.

Raven was still standing on the stoop, a dazed expression on her face. Her fingers were pressed to her cheek. Beast Boy grinned, walking far enough away to be out of sight of the house before he morphed and flew back.

* * *

Raven watched Beast Boy disappear down the street. Shaking her head, she turned and glared at the faces pressed up against the glass. They scattered, laughing. Raven opened up the door and was immediately assaulted with cooing noises.

"Awwww!"

Ignoring all of them, she made her way to the kitchen, pulling out the mug and tea Beast Boy had prepared for her. The crowd followed her in, keeping up the commentary even as Raven refused to answer.

"That was the sweetest thing I've ever seen!"

"Has he not actually kissed you for real yet?"

"You two are so cute!"

"That was adorable!"

Raven sighed, pouring the boiling water into the mug, not bothering to warm up the cup this time. Quickly adding the cinnamon, she escaped to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Beast Boy was lounging on her bed again, eyebrows raised at her loud entrance. Terra was at her desk, smiling at the frazzled look on Raven's face.

The blonde laughed, "Having a boyfriend seems to be stressful."

"So it would seem." Raven answered, avoiding Beast Boy's eyes. She sat at her desk, rubbing her temples as her tea cooled. Vaguely she heard Beast Boy walking up behind her.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

Raven sighed, "You keep asking that."

"Did something happen?" Terra asked, looking worried.

Beast Boy spoke before Raven could brush it off, "Slade came by again."

The blonde blanched, "Oh, god. Are you okay, Raven?"

"I'm fine." She growled, closing her eyes. The headache she had been trying to avoid was creeping up on her.

"You two should probably lay low tomorrow." Beast Boy said, "Rob said to head back to the Tower Saturday morning. Rae should be back to her full strength by then. We'll try to make our move on Slade then."

"Tomorrow?" Terra asked, sounding disappointed.

"Yeah. Just hang out here. We'll leave early in the morning on Saturday." He sounded so calm and assured. Raven wished that she could feel the same.

Hunching over her mug, Raven tried to block out Slade's image. It made her feel ill that she had told Slade she wanted to work for him. She hadn't been lying to Beast Boy; it had been easier than before because he was there, but that didn't make it in any way easy. And when he had grabbed her face, leaning in towards her? Raven couldn't remember ever feeling so scared. It was when Slade was the calmest that he was the most dangerous. And his parting words…despite Robin's reassurances, Raven felt that Slade knew. She shuddered, holding her mug tightly.

"Rae?" A hand landed on her shoulder gently.

"What?" She managed to sound almost normal, though Beast Boy was oblivious if he couldn't feel how tense she was.

She looked up, seeing Terra looking very upset. "What's wrong?"

"She has her date with Devin tomorrow." Beast Boy answered.

Raven sighed, "Terra…"

"Just listen," The blonde said, "Slade obviously knows where we live. If he's going to come after us, he'd look here first. Wouldn't it make sense if we spent as much time as possible away from here?"

"It makes sense, yes. But Slade isn't some common criminal. He's…unbalanced."

"Even more reasons not to stay here if we can help it."

Ignoring the sudden increase in her headache, Raven continued, "Devin isn't going to like me crashing your date."

"Then it'll be a double date. Me and Devin, you and BB."

Raven sipped her tea, looking for an out without seeming mean. Terra did have a point, even if all she really wanted was to go on a date. "I'm really not sure, Terra."

The blonde picked up her clothes, "Just think about it, okay? I'm going to jump in the shower. Just…think about it. Seriously. You know I make sense."

The door closed behind her, leaving Raven alone with Beast Boy. She looked up at the changeling. He hadn't moved from his place behind her. "What do you think?"

He looked surprised at her question. "I think…she has a point. But I also know I really want to go out with you, so that's probably changing my mind." He smiled.

Raven flushed, turning back in her seat, "It would be a ruse, Beast Boy. Just an act so we could keep an eye on Terra."

"It could also not be an act. We could actually go on a date."

"Beast Boy…"

He put both of his hands on her shoulders, "Please, Raven?"

She sighed once more. "It might be dangerous."

"Dude, we're the Titans. We thrive on danger." He laughed.

Raven smiled thinly, "I suppose."

"Is that a 'yes, I'll go out with you, Beast Boy'?"

She shook her head, but replied, "Yes, I'll go out with you, Beast Boy."

A large amount of scuffling had her turning in her seat and she arched a brow to see him doing some sort of victory dance. She smothered a laugh, a little pleased to see that it meant so much to him.

If she was honest, it meant a lot to her, too.

Terra came back a few minutes later and Beast Boy immediately told her, "We'll go on a date with you two tomorrow. Did Devin say what you were doing?"

She looked ecstatic, "Really? Thank you so much guys! He said something about dinner and a movie, but I can ask him tomorrow." She leapt across the room, hugging both of them, "Thank you!"

Raven shrugged her off, needing to be alone for the first time today. "I'm going to take a shower." She stood and quickly gathered her things, hurrying off to the bathroom.

Escaping into the silence of the bathroom, Raven gratefully stepped beneath the spray. It was already warm, but she kept turning it up gradually, making it as hot as she could stand.

Unwillingly, her thoughts fell back into the alley. She grabbed the soap, scrubbing viciously at her skin. Damn Slade.

When she was pink from the water and the soap, Raven stopped, rolling her head on her shoulders. Think of something other than Slade, she encouraged herself.

Immediately, another person invaded her thoughts. She didn't bother to hide her smile; Beast Boy had been serious about wanting to go out with her. And the kiss earlier…her hand on her cheek, Raven quickly got out of the shower and dried off, pulling on sweatpants and a top. Feeling a bit calmer, she made her way back to her room, slipping in silently.

Terra and Beast Boy both fell silent the second she entered. Raven arched a brow, "Talking about me?"

"No." They both answered, a little too quickly.

She ignored them, grabbing the _Grimault_ and slipping into her bed. Beast Boy looked confused, but just pulled up her chair, sitting in it backwards with his head resting on his arms.

"So, Raven, we'll go to the mall tomorrow after school, okay?" Terra said, getting her backpack ready for tomorrow.

Without looking up, Raven asked, "Why are we going to the mall?"

"For an outfit for tomorrow night." She answered, matter-of-factly.

That got Raven's attention, "Excuse me?"

Terra looked surprised, "Well, it may be only dinner and a movie, but it is a first date. We've gotta look nice."

Beast Boy had been following the conversation with his eyes, smirking slightly at Raven.

"Fine." She finally said, losing herself in the book once more.

An hour passed before Terra asked to turn out the light. Raven nodded, putting her book aside. Beast Boy looked around, noticing that Raven hadn't placed the comforter down for him. Once Terra was in her own bed, he stared at Raven with a frown.

"Uhh, Rae?"

She pretended not to notice her own blush, but just patted the edge of her bed. He grinned, morphing into a dog tonight. He jumped up onto the bottom of her bed and curled up. Soon, only the sound of heavy breathing could be heard. Raven relaxed and closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep.

_Her wrists were burning, the blood red marks emblazoned on her skin. She flew through the city, hearing him gaining speed behind her. She pushed herself further, harder, faster…_

_ Skin aflame, she felt Slade's cold hands on her arms. "The message will be delivered; your destiny will be fulfilled."_

_ Her hair brushed her waist, swaying in the wind. She looked down off of the skyscraper, seeing fire and lava covering the city she loves. Her father sat upon the remains of Titans Tower, looking out over the destruction. Raven struggled, but it was no use. Slade was too strong._

_ "You're going to destroy the world, Raven…"_

_ The whisper sent a shudder up her spine. She wouldn't. She couldn't._

_ Slade leaned close and then pushed her off the skyscraper, letting her fall into the fire below, "We'll be in touch."_

_ Without even the strength to scream, Raven plummeted to the ground. It rose up quickly and she waited for that bone shattering collision-_

Raven sat bolt upright in her bed, gasping. Eyes wide, she looked around; she was in her room at the student exchange housing. Covering her mouth, Raven muffled her gasps, closing her eyes. It was only a dream. Just a dream. She was usually blessed with dreamless sleep, but when she suffered from nightmares, nothing could compare with the vividness of them. She had so much for nightmares to draw from.

Something cold and wet touched her arm; Raven flinched and jumped away.

The small green dog whimpered, obviously worried. He bumped his nose against her arm.

"I'm fine." She whispered. Pushing her fingers through her hair, Raven sagged against her pillows again.

He growled softly, unconvinced.

"Just a nightmare. I'm fine."

Beast Boy cocked his head; asking a question as only dogs could.

"Nothing. It was nothing." Raven whispered.

He growled again, apparently more annoyed than upset now.

She sighed, closing her eyes, "It…it was about Slade."

A small muzzle pushed its way under her hand. She glanced down, lifting her hand up. He whined again, scooting closer. Raven hesitated and then placed her hand on top of Beast Boy's head again. He wagged his tail a bit, hitting her knee.

Despite the residual tremors from her nightmare, Raven couldn't help but feeling soothed from Beast Boy's presence. She was afraid to close her eyes for a bit though.

A sudden damp feeling along her inner wrist made her jump. She glanced down.

"Please tell me you didn't just lick me." She said in a deadpan.

There was a whuff of air. The amused bright green that accompanied it made her realize it was a laugh.

"Gross."

He whuffed quietly again.

With the warm reassurance of Beast Boy under her hand, Raven found that when she closed her eyes, she didn't see Slade. She was half asleep before quietly saying, "Thanks, Beast Boy."


	16. Army

Beast Boy shifted slightly, feeling very comfortable. He was curled up against something warm, keeping his eyes closed. Dogs certainly knew how to get a good night's sleep.

Still, the sun was coming in through the window, so he figured he should get up. Opening his eyes, he was a bit startled to realize what had happened during the night.

Raven had shifted onto her side, curled up. Somehow, Beast Boy had curled along her stomach and her arm was thrown over him. He grinned as much as a dog could, definitely enjoying this while he wasn't in danger of being hurt.

When the alarm at Terra's bedside went off, Beast Boy closed his eyes again, slowing his breathing. He felt Raven move, waking up.

She froze, obviously realizing her position. Beast Boy waited for her to throw him off or push him away. He was tense as she sat up, knowing that she was staring down at him.

For all his preparation for one of her retaliations, he nearly jumped when instead of anything bad happened, she just gently scratched his head and got up. He heard her move around in her closet, the hall door opening and closing as she and Terra left the room to take their showers.

He had just fallen back asleep when a damp towel smacked him, sending him into the air with a yelp. He morphed mid-fall, turning towards the door.

Raven stood in the entrance, Terra grinning behind her. As the latter shut the door, the empath merely smiled, her eyes dancing.

"Morning, Beast Boy. Sleep well?"

He couldn't help his grin. Raven, pulling a prank? That was something fun. He could learn to like that.

"I did actually. It was pretty comfy." He answered, making her flush a little.

"Come on, you two. Breakfast." Terra said, grabbing her backpack.

Raven opened up her bag with an apologetic look.

Despite his reluctance, he didn't let his smile fade, "Last day."

She nodded, "Thank Azar. I'm tired of high school."

"I don't know how kids stand four years of it. I can barely stand four days."

Raven frowned. "You're only going for three."

"It's awful enough that I added an extra day." He told her.

"Maybe you need some more high school." She told him. She smiled a bit though; she was joking with him.

Beast Boy grinned, not answering as he transformed into a lizard. Raven not only pulled a prank on him, but now she was joking? It was hard to believe. Instead of climbing into her bag, he crawled into the pocket of the black sweatshirt she wore every day.

He held on as she put the jacket on, grateful when she zipped it up, so he wouldn't be swinging around all day. Making himself more comfortable, he prepared himself for the last day.

* * *

Raven sighed with relief when the bell rang. Lunchtime. Finally. The day was moving by with painful slowness. She gathered up her books, tensing as Sam walked towards her. Instead of kicking her desk or shoving her arm, he just walked right by.

She hid a smile, slipping the books into her bag. At least one thing had improved.

Meeting up with Terra in the hallway, Raven touched her jacket pocket, so feel a reassuring shift from within it. Beast Boy had been curled up in there all day, without complaining. She would have to find a way to pay him back for doing this for her.

"I'm ditching Cassie and Natalie today." Terra told her, the two falling in step. "Hopefully it'll be permanent."

"I'm leaving soon, you know. Maybe you should try to be nice to them." Raven suggested as they walked down towards the courtyard.

Terra snorted, "I don't think so. They're annoying. I'll find better friends here. And just cause you're going back…it doesn't mean we can't hang out once in a while."

Raven was taken aback. She enjoyed her friendship with Terra, certainly, but she hadn't thought it would continue much beyond this week. She had believed that Terra would want to have her own normal life and leave the crime fighting to the Titans. She looked at the blonde, surprised and glad for it. "Of course we'll hang out."

Terra smiled, an honest, open smile. "Good." They walked into the courtyard, the sun hidden behind a few clouds.

A familiar tingle on Raven's mind made her pause and frown.

"What is it?" Terra asked, watching her.

"I'm not-"

"Rachel!"

The girls turned, seeing Laura running towards them, waving a piece of paper. It took Raven a moment to figure out what the brunette was babbling about.

"I am so glad you helped me! I got an A- thanks to you!" Laura gushed, grinning. "Thank you so much!"

"No problem." Raven said, a little overwhelmed by her.

Laura began digging in her backpack, "And money! I told you I'd pay you and I totally forgot yesterday! I have some in here somewhere…"

"You really don't have to." Raven tried to say, though Laura just kept talking over her.

"No, I said I would and I'm going to-"

A scream ripped through the air, making Laura freeze and fall silent.

Raven turned toward where the scream came from and started running.

"Rachel!" Terra yelled, following her.

Raven was forced to stop at the edge of the courtyard, where the chain-link fence separated the students from the rest of the city. She curled her fingers through the metal, staring into the street.

Cinderblock was smashing through one parked car after another, shoving them out of his path as he advanced on the school. Raven frowned, why was he focusing on Murakami? More and more students were realizing the danger. Some, like Raven, had gone to see what was happening, while other took off running in the opposite direction.

"Come on…" She muttered, looking past Cinderblock and in the air, "where are you guys?"

The Titans were still nowhere to be found. Raven held back, knowing that she couldn't blow her cover and Terra's unless there was no other option. She would have to wait.

"Oh my god! That kid is in the car!" A girl screamed, pointing at a small, green SUV.

Raven stared into it; sure enough, there was a toddler, maybe three or four, strapped into the car, unaware of the approaching danger. She gauged the distance and her own power, blanching when she realized it was too far for her powers to be of any use. She would have to get closer.

She shoved her way through the crowd, trying to get to Murakami's front gates.

"What are you doing?" Terra asked, grabbing her arm.

Raven hissed back, "Someone has to do something!"

"You're still too weak, you'll get hurt!" The blonde insisted.

"I don't care! I have-"

"The Titans!" A boy yelled, raising a cheer from the students.

Raven's head spun around, looking back into the street. The boy had been only partly right. It wasn't all the Titans. Just one.

Beast Boy's stegosaurus form turned, slamming its spiked tail into Cinderblock and sending the hard-headed creature stumbling back. Raven stared, shocked. She touched her pocket, amazed when it was empty – how had he managed to get out of her pocket and over there without her even realizing it? While Cinderblock struggled to get to his feet, Beast Boy morphed again, now a gorilla in order to break through the glass on the SUV and pull the toddler to safety.

A manic mother ran out of the nearest grocery store, picking up the toddler and running away, leaving Beast Boy free to focus on Cinderblock.

With a yell from Cinderblock and a growl from the gorilla, the two ran towards one another. At the last moment, Beast Boy morphed again. A rhinoceros slammed into Cinderblock, sending him skidding backwards into a lamppost.

Beast Boy didn't let Cinderblock get back to his feet before he rammed him again, bending the metal pole behind the rock creature. Dazed, Cinderblock swung his arm wildly, catching Beast Boy's front legs and threw him across the street.

Raven held her breath as Beast Boy lied there, unmoving. Cinderblock fought to his feet, staring at the fallen Titan. When Beast Boy didn't move, Cinderblock looked back towards the school, moving towards it once more.

"Is he okay?" Someone asked.

"Come on! Get up!" A boy yelled towards Beast Boy.

Cinderblock began to run, building up momentum and aiming his charge at Murakami. Raven stared at Beast Boy, ignoring the oncoming boulder; there was nothing her powers could do to stop him now.

The students began screaming, running away from the gate.

"Raven!" Terra yelled, forgetting about her fake name. "We have to go!" She tugged on Raven's arm, trying to pull her away.

"What about-"

"No time!"

The girls only managed to get a few yards away when a roar shook the ground. Raven skidded to a stop, spinning around to face the street again. She may have gasped, but it was lost among the sounds of shock from other students who had stopped and turned as well.

A gigantic tyrannosaurus rex stood over Cinderblock, his teeth digging deep gouges in the concrete arm. It dragged Cinderblock back and up, throwing him across the street. The boulder bounced, once, twice before sliding to a stop at the foot of a building.

Cheers from the students went up; only Raven noticed the way Beast Boy moved too slowly and awkwardly. Something was wrong.

Still, the green t-rex walked over to where Cinderblock lay. The boulder didn't move, his eyes closed and his body as limp as rock could be. After a minute or two, Beast Boy looked back towards the school, as if checking up on them.

The cheers got louder, thanks and congratulations rising up from the courtyard. Raven was about to join in when a gasp from Terra made her freeze.

"He's-"

Raven knew exactly what was wrong when Cinderblock began to get up off the ground, aiming a punch at Beast Boy's unprotected back.

"Look out!" Raven yelled, not entirely realizing she had done it.

Beast Boy turned, unable to stop the punch-

A burst of blue light shot into Cinderblock's side, sending him flying into the building. Cyborg stepped out from the alley had had been standing in, lowering his arm.

"Boo yah." He said simply, grinning.

The cheers for Beast Boy seemed halfhearted when the students began screaming for the other three Titans. Starfire and Cyborg waved, while Robin called the authorities on his communicator. The t-rex shrunk, replaced with a lean, green teen, who immediately walked over to Robin and began speaking heatedly. The two argued for a moment and Raven wished she knew what was going on.

Beast Boy glared at Robin and then moved off into a nearby alley. Raven noticed he was still limping. Ignoring the longing she had to join her friends, and the disgust she had for herself for being unable to help out, Raven walked towards the gate of Murakami.

"Where are you going now?" Terra asked her, following.

"To Beast Boy. He's hurt." Raven said, pushing the gate open.

Terra looked concerned, "But what about class?"

"It's my last day, I think I can ditch." Raven answered. "Here," she opened up her bag and pressed a small, round object into Terra's hands, "take my communicator, in case something happens. I'll meet you at the mall after school."

"Be careful."

Raven smiled faintly and slipped out through the gate. While the rest of the school was chattering about the battle and staring at the three Titans, Raven moved off in the other direction, intent on finding a certain green one.


	17. Kelly

A/N: Hey all. I know these past few chapters have been shorter than my first ones, but I figured you'd prefer to have shorter, faster updates, than longer chapters and longer waits. this just means more chapters. Oh, what a pity. I have a feeling some of you will enjoy this...to those of you who don't, the plot will thicken in the next chapter, I promise you (I know, because I'm already working on it). In the meantime, if you have the time, please leave me a review. Hate it, love it, want to make it a sandwich, I want to know. :)

~EmeraldsAndDaggers

* * *

It didn't take long for Raven to find Beast Boy. By now, she knew his mind's signature almost as well as she knew her own. She followed its faint trail to a nearby park.

A sidewalk wound around the park, crossing itself a few times. In these cases, bridges were built, arching over the lower walkway. It was under one of these bridges that she saw him.

The sidewalk here was clearly not used as much; trash littered its shadowy confines. She wouldn't have to worry about anyone seeing them. Beast Boy was sitting on an overturned crate, rubbing his knee absentmindedly.

"Beast Boy?" She said, stepping beneath the arch.

He didn't jump or flinch, he'd known she was coming. "Hi."

Noticing that his skin was still a very vibrant hue, she asked, "Where's your ring?"

"In your pocket still, I think."

She touched her pocket, feeling the small metal circle. Amazed at how stealthy he could be, it took her a moment to remember why she had sought him out.

She knelt in front of him, putting her hands over his knee. They began to glow blue as she gathered up her concentration to heal him.

Beast Boy knocked her hands aside, "Cut it out."

Raven frowned, "You're hurt."

"I'm fine." He retorted.

She stared at him, annoyed and confused. He was being short with her, he wouldn't allow her to heal him, and he definitely wasn't smiling.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked.

"Nothing."

She took a guess, "What did you fight with Robin about?"

He scowled, "His timing."

That threw her. "What are you talking about? You're lucky they showed up when they did."

"They should have been there sooner! They're lucky it was just Cinderblock and not-"

He stopped, dropping his gaze back to his knee.

Raven didn't answer, still unsure why he was so upset.

"It could've been him, you know." He said suddenly.

"Slade?" She asked.

"Of course, Slade." Beast Boy answered. "It could have been him and if the Titans are this slow to react…who knows what Slade could have done in the time it took them to get there."

"You would have been there." She told him, trying to calm him down.

He shook his head, "Come on, Raven. You know as well as I do that not one of us stands a chance against Slade on our own. He knows us all too well."

Though she didn't like that idea, she knew he was right. "And Robin didn't like that you told him he took too long?"

"You know Robin." Beast Boy told her.

Indeed she did. Raven pushed her hair out of her face, "None of this explains why you won't let me heal you."

"I don't need-"

"Don't lie to me." Raven interrupted him quietly.

Emerald eyes met holographic brown for a moment, before dropping back down.

"I don't want you to." He finally said.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want it to hurt you." He finally explained.

Raven sighed, she knew it was for some stupid noble reason. She wished she had never told him that. "Are you some kind of masochist? How about this for persuasion: if someone else attacks, I'm in no shape to defend myself from anyone. Not really. I can, however, heal you and make sure you're ready to defend both you and me. And Terra."

Beast Boy glared at her. "You're too logical."

"It's a curse."

That almost got a smile out of him. "All right, doctor. Work your magic."

She put one hand below his knee and the other above it. Raven had been concerned that he had dislocated his knee, but he wasn't in enough pain for that to be the case. Closing her eyes, she concentrated her energy and worked her way into the injury.

Torn ligaments and a large amount of swelling nearly made her lose her focus; he had dislocated it! She quickly fed a large amount of power into the battered flesh, amazed he had made it this far on that knee. The ligaments reconnected, the swelling went down and the kneecap settled into place once more. Slowly, preparing herself, she drew herself out of healing and back into reality.

The flash of pain in her own knee was brief, but very intense. She closed her eyes, hoping she didn't betray too much on her face. When the wave of pain receded, she opened her eyes, knowing that she had only partially succeeded.

He looked apologetic, "Are you okay?"

She wiped her brow, coming to sit next to him on the crate. "I'm fine. How did you manage to walk on that knee?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "It hurt a lot when Cinderblock hit me, but then it kind of went numb. Why?"

"It was dislocated. Most people end up in the emergency room for that." She told him.

He shrugged again. "Like I said, it just felt numb."

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" She asked.

He opened his mouth, but Raven noticed the pale green aura around him and glared. "What did I say about lying?"

His jaw shut with a click. "A headache. But it's nothing I can't handle."

Raven gave a tiny smile. "I would imagine that ramming Cinderblock is similar to running headfirst into a brick wall."

He chuckled, "The wall would probably be a little more forgiving. And a little bit smarter."

"Undoubtedly." Raven answered. "Come here."

Beast Boy frowned, clearly unsure on what to do. She turned slightly in her seat to face him, placing her fingertips on his temples.

"Rae-"

"Relax." She said, closing her eyes. "A headache is nothing."

The comparison in pain levels was astounding. After the knee, the echoing pain from Beast Boy's headache was barely a flicker. Still, she knew it would help him to feel much better.

Raven opened her eyes, seeing the tightness gone from around his. "Better?"

He cleared his throat, "Yeah. Thanks."

Suddenly realizing their rather intimate position, Raven flushed and went to pull away. Beast Boy caught her left hand, looking at it.

With his gloved fingers, he pulled Cyborg's holographic ring from her hand. Though she couldn't see her own face, she saw her skin fade from pale to grey, knowing that the rest of her had reverted as well.

"What are you doing?" She asked him.

"You look better like this." He observed, instead of answering her question.

"Thanks." Raven answered dryly, noticing that neither of them had moved away.

He smiled, "And I did this so you would know I like the real you way better than this one." He spun the ring in his fingers, emphasizing his point.

"Point noted." Raven held out her free hand, the one Beast Boy wasn't still holding onto, and asked, "Can I have the ring back, now?"

"One more thing." He said.

Raven frowned when his colors changed to a lighter, warmer green. "What else could you possibly-"

She was interrupted when Beast Boy leaned in and began kissing her.

Raven froze, completely unsure of what to do. She had never been kissed before. She had never even considered the idea until a few days ago; who would love a demon like her? Her mind ran at a thousand thought a second, all of them useless for her current situation. She realized beast Boy was still holding onto her hand, and that he was trembling slightly. Raven nearly smiled; he was just as unsure as she was, he just went ahead and did it anyway. She could do that.

Beast Boy's eyes were closed, so she imitated that. His free hand came up to cup her cheek; not holding her still, just as if to reassure himself she was still there. Their mouths moved slowly against one another's; tentative and shy. As far as Raven knew, this was Beast Boy's first kiss, as well. That thought made her happier.

She reached up and put her hand on his chest. His heart was pounding like crazy and she was pretty sure hers was, too. When she touched him, Beast Boy's breath hitched and he kissed her a little deeper, turning it into something much more than a first kiss-

**CRACK**!

The duo went sprawling as Raven's magiks broke the crate they had been sitting on. Ashamed, Raven hid her eyes from Beast Boy. Now he would remember exactly who she was and why this wouldn't work. She wasn't Rachel, slightly quirky, human, teenage girl. She was Raven; half-demon daughter of Trigon, who doesn't do relationships and dating and love-

Raven nearly flinched at the last word. Love? Since when?

Her reverie was broken by the sounds of Beast Boy laughing. She looked at him, wondering if he had actually gone crazy.

He was still laying where her powers had sent him sprawling; one leg hiked up on what remained of the crate, on his back. And he was just laughing.

She stared at him, a little worried. He finally glanced over, and seeing her worried face, laughed even harder.

"That was…that was…" He wheezed out past the guffaws, "I mean, it was our first kiss and it was supposed to be all romantic and charming! And then you…" He lost himself in the laughter once more.

She sat up, not looking him in the eyes. Here would be the point where he told her it just wouldn't work. That she wasn't his type. He wouldn't be wrong, necessarily. And of course, as it was Beast Boy, he would do it in the most kind and charming way possible.

His laughs faded and she heard him sit up, "Raven?"

She didn't turn back, "It's okay. You don't have to say anything." She was surprised at how much this hurt. They hadn't even been on a first date and they were breaking up. It had to be some sort of record. Her chest felt tight and it was hard for her to take in a deep breath.

Beast Boy touched her back, "Raven, I wasn't laughing at you. Or that kiss. I-"

She shook her head, still not looking at him. "You don't have to explain."

"Listen, I-" He moved to sit next to her, trying to meet her eyes.

"Really, Beast Boy. Just sto-"

He put his hand over her mouth, silencing her. "Stop talking."

Raven glared at him, but didn't speak.

"I was laughing because it was funny. I wasn't laughing at you. I wasn't laughing at kissing you. It was just funny. I mean, come on." He smiled. "How often does something like that happen in the movies?"

She didn't have a response, not that he had removed his hand for her to give one.

"Of course," he said, teasing her with his eyes, "if you go and break everything we're sitting on when we kiss, we might to spend more time sitting on the floor." He finally took his hand away, grinning.

"I didn't mean to break it." She said, still worried about what he thought.

Beast Boy took her hand. "I know. You just need more practice."

She raised her brow, "Practice with not breaking things? Or practice with-"

She was interrupted for the second time with a kiss. This one was much different than the first; light and teasing, making her smile. It was shorter, too. Beast Boy pulled away too quickly for her to react, grinning widely.

"See? Nothing broken that time."

Surprised at how relieved she was by his reaction, she responded with, "So does the fact that my powers are diminished have any weight in your timing?"

He grinned, hopping to his feet and pulling her up with him, "Maybe. But only because I knew you wouldn't be able to throw or break me. I don't really care about anything else you break. And," he said seriously, making her stop, "if you have any sudden urge to throw or break Devin tonight, please, feel free to do so."

She just stared at him, amazed at how one person could feel so many good things at the same time and not explode. He shuffled his feet, unconsciously tightening his hand around hers.

"You didn't mind that I…? I mean, we could just pretend that it never-" He started to babble.

Taking a note from his book, and ignoring how saccharine it was to her cynical side, Raven brushed her lips lightly against his. "No."

His grin, if possible, got wider. "Come on." He said, tugging her alongside him.

"Where?"

"Aren't you meeting Terra at the mall?" He asked.

"Well, yes, but-"

He shrugged, "I'm pretty sure that boyfriend privileges state that I get to walk you there."

Raven smiled, dropping her eyes. Boyfriend, huh? She liked the sound of that.


	18. Teal

A/N: Chapter 18! Dedicated to my two most favoritest reviewers: Laarc and Beyond Backup for their continuing support and comments throughout this story.

Honorable mentions to: Scarlet Roth, big beast boy, ravenheartbb4life, and Shay. I hope you guys like this and are encouraged to review again!

Perhaps Chapter 19 shall be the infamous date? We shall find out. Because to tell you the truth, I have no control over this story. Everything just sort of pours out and I just have to keep up. :) Be prepared for some darker stuff coming though. Remember who is on the loose in Jump City...

* * *

Beast Boy nearly floated as he walked around the mall. He and Raven had gotten here about an hour before Terra and had spent their time playing Ghosts 'N Goblins at the arcade. She had gotten a few funny looks for being a school outfit before school got out, but as long as they stayed quiet and in the back, the arcade owner wasn't going to tell anyone.

As of now, it had been about two hours since the kisses. Terra had arrived, taken one look at Raven and immediately dragged her off towards one of the many clothing stores. Beast Boy figured she was getting what was equivalent to the Inquisition right now. He wondered what she was saying about him.

A small grin worked its way onto Beast Boy's face. Of course, he could go and find out. Immediately looking around, he found the signs for a restroom and headed in that direction.

Once inside, he checked to make sure no one else was in there and shut himself in a stall.

Quickly morphing before anyone walked in, a small green fly buzzed by the door, waiting for someone else to come and open it for him

His prayers were answered within the next two minutes, and he took off down the walkways of the mall, careful to stay high enough to avoid being seen. Terra had told him what stores she and Raven would be going to, so Beast Boy began checking them one by one.

He found the girls in a rather low-key store. Terra was standing outside one of the dressing room stalls, with Raven nowhere to be seen. Beast Boy landed on the ceiling, taking a moment to adjust his vision to seeing things upside down. He figured out Raven's position soon enough, though.

"This is ridiculous." Raven's voice drawled over the door.

Terra smiled, leaning up against the wall between the doors. A pink shopping bag was draped over her arm. "It's a date. They usually begin that way."

"I meant this outfit."

The blonde laughed, "Oh come on. It's nice."

There was no answer from the empath.

"Let me see." Terra said, straightening and facing the door.

At that moment, the air conditioning came on and sent Beast Boy's fly form spinning. Had he been able to, he would have given a squeak, but he was hard-pressed to find his equilibrium before smashing to the floor. Flies didn't have much of a defense against things like the ground. Or air, apparently.

By the time he righted himself and settled back onto the ceiling (far away from any air vents), Terra was closing the dressing room door and speaking.

"-what you're talking about. You look great. Beas- B is going to love it." Terra said, fixing her slip-up.

"He doesn't care what I look like." Raven retorted, assumingly changing out of her new clothes.

"I know he doesn't care." Terra said. "But don't you want to look nice?"

"Wouldn't this outfit be counterproductive if that's what I wanted?" Raven said flatly, stepping out of the dressing room, clothed in her uniform once again.

Terra rolled her eyes, "Oh stop."

Beast Boy couldn't get a very good look at the outfit; he saw black and silver, but that was it. Raven had it bundled up as she paid for it at the register. The cashier barely spared her a glance as she put it into a blue bag and handed it to her.

The girls walked back into the walkway of the mall and Beast Boy followed them. It was a little difficult to hear them, but he managed by flying almost right above their heads.

"So, where to?" Terra asked.

Raven shrugged, her mind clearly elsewhere.

"We could get something to eat. You didn't have lunch." The blonde noted.

Beast Boy frowned as much as a fly could, which was pretty much nothing. He had forgotten she hadn't eaten.

Raven glanced up, looking Beast Boy right in the eye…s. "B thinks I need to eat."

Terra looked up as well and laughed. She leaned towards Raven, "And he was trying to be so sneaky, too. You just had to go and ruin it for him."

The empath smiled. "I don't think he minds."

He really, really didn't.

"All right." Raven said, "I'll eat. Where are-"

For the second time that day, a scream broke through the crowd, cutting Raven off. Everyone froze, staring in the direction it came from. Terra and Raven, unlike most of the crowd, ran towards the scream, Beast Boy buzzing quickly with them. The girls raced to a balcony, looking down on the sitting area below.

Beast Boy flew into it, seeing Overload pouring out of a chandelier light fixture. He sighed, annoyed that he would have to fight again today. It's what he did, sure, but sometimes he just wanted a quiet afternoon.

He looked back at the girls, seeing Raven frowning and staring at Overload. She looked around her at the crowd, rather than at the monster. Nothing seemed to draw her attention, but she looked uneasy.

It suddenly clicked in Beast Boy's mind. Of course. Slade had used Cinderblock, Overload and Plasmus before to distract them. It would make sense to theorize he would be doing so again. He didn't see any tell-tale orange and black, though, so Beast Boy concentrated his attention on Overload.

The trick to this high voltage monster was getting the card out of his chest. It held everything Overload was and when it was removed, well, he was literally nothing without it. Beast Boy flew towards the floor and morphed just as he was about to land, his frog tongue snapping out and just brushing the card.

A shock ripped through him, making his mucus-y skin go dry and shrivel a bit. Beast Boy was thrown back a few yards, without the card.

He glared at the rogue artificial intelligence, transforming into a cheetah as he did so. Lightning fast, he sped towards the card, leaping and trying to get to the card without-

He yelped as Overload send another burst of energy through him. He could smell singed fur and it hurt to walk a bit. He limped backwards, trying to stay ahead of Overload as it took a few steps forward. It looked around without eyes at the crowd that had formed on the balcony above it. Students made up the majority, shouting encouragement to Beast Boy. Overload sizzled in anger, sparks of electricity shooting across the floor towards Beast Boy.

Managing to avoid the first few, the fourth caught him and he yipped again, unable to help it. Those shocks hurt!

He glanced up, meeting a worried, holographic set of eyes. Beast Boy turned back to Overload, not giving up anymore ground. He had someone counting on him. He leapt towards the cybernetic monster, morphing once more.

An electric eel attacked Overload, their mutual electric currents cancelling one another out as Beast Boy fought to get the card. This form wasn't meant for prolonged out-of-water use, though and soon he was choking on a lack of useful oxygen.

A douse of water sank over Beast Boy, nearly startling him out of his form. He took what little air he could from it, and Overload crackled, losing power.

"More! Come on!" He heard Raven shout.

Beast Boy glanced up, amazed. Raven had created some sort of assembly line of students, three long lines leading to the nearest watering fountains, where they filled up whatever they had; water bottles, cans, small plastic cups, anything, with water and sent them back to Raven, Terra and another girl who then proceeded to dump them over the balcony and onto Overload.

This continued to diminish him, bit by bit, and in return, gave Beast Boy some much needed air. Between the water and Beast Boy's violent thrashing, Overload was unable to hold onto his card. It clattered onto the floor, that tiny, unthreatening item that made Overload what he was.

As Overload disappeared, Beast Boy morphed for what he hoped would be the second to last time that day. A tiny green fly flew into the air, unable to be seen by only the most observant of gazes. Murmurs of confusion followed his disappearance, but they faded when the Titans entered the room.

Robin looked confused, but picked up the card that held Overload and immediately was on his communicator, calling authorities who could handle Overload's containment.

Assured that Overload was on his way to justice, beast Boy flew away, finding another bathroom to change back into his normal, albeit holographic, form.

Exhausted, aching and slightly singed, Beast Boy walked out of the men's room. He turned the corner and almost fell into a waiting pair of pale arms.

He looked up into Raven's false eyes and attempted a smile. "Dude…I don't know how Superman manages to do this secret identity thing." With that, he sort of blacked out.

* * *

Raven sat on a secluded bench in the mall, far enough away from the popular stores that she didn't have a steady crowd of people walking by. Terra sat next to her, keeping an eye on the people who passed by.

"You're okay, now." Terra said.

Raven closed her eyes, focusing her attention on the head that leaned against her shoulder, eyes closed. She threw in a third jolt of her power, healing the small burns and injuries from the fight with Overload.

The backlash from Beast Boy's wounds wasn't so much painful as uncomfortable. She fidgeted as the pins and needles feeling crawled across her skin, fainter than the first two times.

The girls had helped Beast Boy to this location, unseen by the tumult still happening on the balcony. Between the high from helping to take down a criminal and the Titans' arrival, the students had been unobservant to a small trio hurrying away.

A moan and shift had Raven refocusing her thoughts to the waking changeling. His eyes opened, a holographic blue once more.

"Hi." He said quietly.

Raven ignored the warming of her chest when he spoke to her. "Hi. Glad to see you're awake."

He sat up, off of her shoulder. "What happened?"

"You fought Overload." Terra said.

"I remember that. It was a little…shocking." He grinned, though it was a bit tired.

Raven hid her smile. His horrible puns were something she actually enjoyed. "Clever. You changed back and passed out."

He moved about, testing his limbs. "Rae, did you…?"

"Yes."

He looked like he was about to tell her off for healing him again today, but he bit his tongue. "Thanks."

"Just don't go getting hurt again, okay?" She told him.

He grinned, dropping a light kiss on her cheek, making Raven flush and Terra smile. "I'll do my best."

"Good." Raven said, still a little nonplussed.

Terra glanced at her phone and her eyes widened, "I don't mean to break this up, but we have a date to go on and about fourty-five minutes to get back to Mary's and get ready."

"Terra…" Raven said, ready to suggest calling off the date. Two attacks in one day by monsters who had worked with Slade before? It was too coincidental to be anything but planned. She stopped herself, though, at the look on Beast Boy's face. He wanted this to happen tonight. His eyes and the set of his jaw told her as much.

She wanted it, too. And damned if she was going to let Slade ruin anything else in her life.

"We'd better hurry if we want to be on time." Raven finished her sentence, making both Terra and Beast Boy's faces light up.

The trio left the mall quickly, Terra leading the way and Raven and Beast Boy followed, hands tightly clasped together.


	19. Jade

"I look ridiculous." Raven said, staring at her reflection.

"You so do not." Terra retorted, Michele nodded behind her.

"Well then," Raven said, turning to face her friends. "I _feel_ ridiculous."

"Why?" Michele asked.

"I've known Garfield for a long time. Now I feel like I'm…pretending to be something I'm not." Raven explained haltingly.

Terra laughed. "Changing your clothes doesn't mean you're changing who you are."

"Then why are the clothes so important?" Raven asked.

"Because," Michele took this one, fixing up a fallen strand of Raven's hair, "you said you've known him for a long time. He's gotten used to seeing you in a certain way. Changing up the clothes just helps him to see you differently."

Raven frowned, realizing it made sense. "So all this nonsense…?" She asked, picking at her shirt.

"Helps to remind him that you're something more than just his old friend." Michele summarized.

Raven glanced at Terra. "You're kind of brilliant."

The blonde shrugged and smiled. She took one more glance in the mirror, fixing the flowing blouse she wore. She was a vision in blues; crisp blue jeans, bright blue heels, and a loose, teal shirt that gave the image of curves. Her hair was pulled partway up, away from her face and framing the smile that had been there all night.

Michele answered the door when a knock sounded. Chi stood outside.

"Your dates are here." The girl grinned widely. "They're downstairs…with everyone else."

Raven smiled faintly and Terra laughed. "Poor things."

"We should probably head down." Raven said. "Save them from verbal torture."

"It seems only fair." Terra responded.

They left their room, following Michele and Chi down the hall. Raven was nervous. She couldn't explain it to herself. Beast Boy and her had already had a sort of date at the arcade. They had already had their first kiss. The major milestones had already passed. Despite all this logical thinking, she was still nervous.

When they got to the top of the stairs, Raven hung back a bit, letting Terra have the spotlight. As far as the house was concerned, she and Beast Boy had already had their first date. Terra could have this one.

Raven hesitated in the shadows on the stairs, letting Terra go down and gather up most of the attention. Only once the voices in living room seemed sufficiently distracted did she follow the blonde downstairs.

She succeeded, partially. Most of the attention was on Terra. She got a few glances, though. Chi, who was watching Terra and Devin get over the awkward greetings, smiled. Mary, watching from the kitchen waved at her. Timotei, sitting on the couch, caught her eye and grinned widely. Timotei's companion also caught her eye, but his expression wasn't so much a grin as a wide-eyed look of shock.

If Terra was a beauty in blues, Raven kept with her comfort zone and was dressed in blacks and greys. She wore her old grey jeans and the knee-high boots. Terra had tried to talk her into buying a pair with heels, but Raven didn't want to tower over Beast Boy; plus, she didn't think she would be able to walk safely on them. From then on, though, Terra had intervened.

The simple black tank top was fine, but Terra had pushed her to get a lacey, black and silver top to go over it. Once she had dressed, Michele had come in and decided to do her hair, without asking Raven's opinion, of course. It was some complicated twisty thing that she couldn't for the life of her figure out. All she knew is that it was off of her face and neck. Both of which she could feel heating up when she met a pair of fake, laughing blue eyes.

She managed to sneak down the stairs without everyone else noticing. She made her way over to the two boys on the couch.

"Hi." She was proud that her voice never even shook.

Beast Boy cleared his throat. "Hi. You…umm, you look…"

Raven smiled. She could so this. "Why thanks." She answered a little sarcastically.

He grinned at her. "You know what I mean."

"You look…, too." She told him.

In fact, he did. He and Devin were both wearing jeans, which made Raven feel a bit more comfortable. While Devin had decided on a white shirt with a blue sweater over it (it was as if he knew what Terra would be wearing), Beast Boy had gone with a solid green button up shirt. He looked good.

Still, Raven wished they were going out as Raven and Beast Boy, rather than Rachel and Garfield. But considering the circumstances, this was much better than anything else right now.

Raven watched Terra and Devin endure the typical first date harassment. She observed that having a house full of roommates was the equivalent to having several overbearing and protective fathers. Not that her own father had been protective. He had been overbearing…he was probably the prime example of overbearing.

Her musings were interrupted when Terra gave her a look of pleading terror. Raven smiled and nudged Beast Boy.

He glanced at her, following her gaze to Terra. Within a moment he was on his feet, saying loudly, "Well, Devin, we'd better get going if we want to make that reservation."

As attuned as she was to reading people, Raven noted the complete lack of comprehension on Devin's face before Beast Boy's statement sunk in.

"Oh, right. The reservation. Yeah." He said, unconvincingly.

With much upset and complaining from their housemates, Terra, Raven and their dates managed to escape through the front door and out onto the street. Once clear of the chaos, Terra breathed deeply and glanced to her date.

"There is no reservation, is there." She said.

He smiled, "No. But Garfield mentioned it and it was a perfect opportunity to get out."

"Quick thinking." Terra said, though it was unclear whether she was directing the comment to Beast Boy or to Devin.

Terra threw a glance to Raven, raising her eyebrows significantly. Taking her none-too-subtle hint, Raven slowed her pace. Beast Boy matched it without seeming to think about it and soon Terra and Devin were farther ahead.

With a space between the couples, it felt a bit more private. The two Titans walked in silence for a bit before Beast Boy, unsurprisingly, broke it.

"You do look really pretty tonight."

She flushed and didn't look at him. "Thanks. You look pretty good, too."

He grinned. "So, excited to go home tomorrow?"

Ignoring the rather sudden subject change, she nodded. "Yeah. Though, it means we'll be hunting Slade."

"Hunting is better than being hunted." He observed. "I'd much rather be the hawk than the mouse."

A sudden though struck her, but when she opened her mouth to ask, she realized it was probably very personal. He noticed.

"What?"

"I was just wondering…"

"About?" He asked, eyes on her and not on the sidewalk.

"You know the other day, when you became more...feral?" She asked, a little startled that it had been, in fact, just the other day.

His eyes narrowed a bit, glancing at the arm Rick had bruised and then at her neck. "Yeah." Beast Boy's voice was already slightly more dangerous.

Raven stared at him, losing her tongue for a moment. She wasn't frightened of him, of course not. She knew he would never hurt her. She was just a little amazed that such a small teenager could hold so much _more_ inside. When he wanted to be, Beast Boy was a force to be reckoned with.

"Rae?" He asked, looking suddenly ashamed.

She shook her head, coming back to the conversation. "Sorry, lost my train of thought for a moment."

He looked forward, "What did you want to ask?"

"Does your nature work the other way when you shape-shift?"

"How do you mean?"

She thought, "When you're human, human nature is foremost, with the animal in the background, yet still present. When you shift, is the animal nature more in control, with the human in the background?"

"You mean, when I'm a dog do I get the urge to chase cats and drink out of the toilet?" He glanced at her, a small smile on his face. "No."

"Then what is it like?" She had always been curious about his shifting.

"It's like…" He frowned, thinking about it. "It's like, my mind is still there, but the animal's instincts are what's guiding me." He snapped his fingers, "Like shoes."

"Excuse me?" Raven asked, completely lost.

"Okay, imagine you have several pairs of shoes. You've worn them all before, so they won't give you blisters or anything, but each pair feels a bit different."

"All right." Raven said, with him so far.

"So you put on a pair of shoes you don't wear normally. They feel a little different, but it's not like you can't run or walk in them, it just feels weird. That's what it's like. When I'm running, I'm not thinking 'right front leg, left back leg, left front leg, right back leg'. All I'm doing is running. It feels a little different, but still natural. I'm still in control when I'm an animal. I know who all of you are and our goal and what needs to be done."

"So why-" Raven cut herself off. Personal questions were one thing, this would be going too far.

He looked back to the front, smiling a little coolly, "Why did I lose my control when I was the beast?"

Raven nodded.

"I've thought about this a lot. I'm not entirely sure that I'm right, but I have a theory."

"What is it?"

He glanced at her, "Everyone seemed to think the beast was a creature of anger or that it was wild and uncontrollable. I think it's my instincts, just in their most base form, without human thoughts to define boundaries."

"It's not anger?"

"No…I mean, animals in the wild need things to survive. They need food, which explains my appetite. They need their own territory in order to find their food, which explains why I was being a jerk to everyone in the Tower. They defend against intruders to their territory, so I attacked Adonis. And animals protect their pack, which is why I attacked Adonis for hurting you."

"Their pack?" She smiled at the rather odd phrase for their family.

He shrugged, "To the beast, it's what we are. Not relatives, since none of us are blood related. But a group. A pack."

"So when you start to go a little more animalistic while in human form…?"

He shrugged as if it was no big deal, but she could see the tense lines in his shoulders. "It's a bit of the beast, yeah."

Raven absorbed that idea, silently. It made sense from every angle. Terra laughed in front of them at something Devin had said, the sound ringing back towards the Titans.

"Rae?"

"Mhmm?" She asked, still considering Beast Boy's theory.

"You're not like…frightened of me now, are you?" His voice was surprisingly small.

She looked at him in surprise, not having considered how he would have interpreted her silence. His shoulders were hunched a little and he stared forward. Even with the hologram, she imagined his ears drooping slightly.

"Beast Boy, you met my manifestation of anger in Nevermore and you've met my father. If you think that a few animalistic mannerisms are going to scare me off, you've got another thing coming." Despite her mock-teasing tone, she slipped her hand into his, making sure he knew that she was not frightened of him, or the beast.

He grinned down at her, clearly relieved. "You're one in a million, you know that?"

"Actually," She said, looking forward, "I'm pretty certain I'm the only half-demon daughter of an interdimensional hell-creature on the Earth, so that makes me one in 6.8 billion."

"You and me both." He laughed, and then paused. "Except, you know, instead of the daughter of a demon thing, I'm a green, shapeshifter. I probably qualify as an endangered species."

Terra and Devin glanced back at them from the entrance to a restaurant, waving for them to hurry up. They did, beast Boy pausing to let her go in first. Raven smiled as they waited for the hostess. For a first date, this was turning out pretty wonderfully.

* * *

Beast Boy sat back in his chair, completely stuffed. The Italian restaurant they had gone to had amazing food and they had even had his vegan tofu manicotti. Raven had stared at it dubiously until Beast Boy convinced her to try a bite.

"Wow," she said in obvious surprise, "it doesn't even taste like tofu."

At that statement, Terra and Devin had tried it as well, with similar reactions. After dinner, each couple had shared an order of tiramisu.

When the two checks arrived, Raven tried to reach for theirs. Beast Boy snatched it away with a frown.

"What are you doing?" He asked her, paying for it and putting it far out of her reach.

She met his gaze, "You said it would be my turn to buy dinner next time we went out."

He vaguely recalled that conversation. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

She glared at him, but it was ruined when the corner of her mouth lifted a little. He hid his own grin; he did enjoy making her smile so often.

"Oh, crap." Devin said, looking at his watch. "The movie's going to start in twenty minutes."

The quartet hurried to pay, walking quickly to the theater. Luckily, it was only a block away and they were walking in just as the previews began. Terra and Raven were in the middle, with Beast Boy and Devin on either side. They were lucky to get four seats together, since the theater was packed. As the opening credits began, Beast Boy noticed that Raven turned around in her seat, looking towards the doors to the theater with a frown.

"What's wrong?" He whispered.

She shook her head, turning back to the movie. It was supposed to rival Wicked Scary in scariness, so he wasn't surprised when in the first ten minutes, half the theater had gotten up and left because they didn't want to sit through all 160 minutes of heart-stopped terror.

To be honest, Beast Boy was a little frightened, but it was all made bearable when in the third scene of the horror film, where a girl was dragged into a well by the monster, that Raven jumped and grabbed his hand. Smiling, he sat back in his chair a little more comfortably.

By the movie's midpoint, only the quartet and two other couples were left in the theater. With a scream, the blonde in front and her rather large boyfriend ran to the theater doors, obviously not ready to see it through.

Raven watched them go, a small smile on her face. Clearly she had been amused by the people leaving the theater, too. Beast Boy leaned down, ready to ask her who she thought would be next, when she stiffened and looked towards the door.

"What's up?" He asked, following her gaze.

She frowned, "I don't know, it's like-"

Raven was cut off when the main character screamed loudly. Beast Boy, all set to laugh at the ridiculous amounts of blood that would spurt out of her neck, was confused when he noticed that the main character wasn't even in this scene. He jumped up when he heard more screams coming from the exit of the theater. He froze when the doors burst open, diving to Raven and Terra and pulling them off their seats, crouching on the floor. Devin followed them, glaring at Beast Boy.

"What the hell-" He asked.

"Shut up." Raven hissed, her face pale. She had seen who was standing in the doors to the theater.

They remained silent as the footsteps walked down the aisle. The hollow noises made Beast Boy tense, staring out at where the noises were coming from.

The footsteps stopped several yards away from them. Beast Boy could see the bottom of the heavy boots beneath the seats where he was crouched. He was suddenly very aware of how alone they really were and how small Raven's hand was in his at this moment. How much she and Terra were relying on him. What would happen to them if he failed. All those thought jumbled in his head until a single, quiet voice drove every other thought away.

"Oh, Titans," Slade called, his voice deceptively soothing, "intermission is over."


	20. Electric

A/N: Hey all. Sorry it took me so long to get these last two chapters up ('so long'…it was like, three or fours days, but I still felt really guilty about it…man, I've waited weeks for other people to update and then they don't even apolo- Never mind. Not the point).

I warned you things would be getting darker…here it goes. And it will get worse. The faint of heart need not read on. But, the night is always darkest before the dawn, right? At least, you hope so…

Read on. Give me your thoughts and opinions. And I know I'm a jerk at the end of this chapter, but I promise, I'm already working on the next one. Things are definitely picking up.

~EAD

* * *

Crouched on the floor of the movie theater, Beast Boy's mind raced to think of something – anything – that would get them out of here. His half-formed plans fell apart when more people entered the theater. He managed a quick glance; they were Slade-bots. The simpler form, rather than exact replicas of Slade. They began walking through the rows of seats, systematically checking every corner.

"Devin," Beast Boy whispered, "when I get them distracted, you're going to take the girls and get as far away from here as you can."

"But, I-" The boy said, clearly scared.

"Do as he says." Raven said, "Take Terra and get out of here."

Beast Boy glared at the empath, "Rae-"

"He obviously knows who I am. If I go out running with them, he'll come after us and you know it. If I stay here, they'll have a better chance to get free." She said, barely audible.

The footsteps were moving closer to their hiding place. Beast Boy tried one more time, "What about you?"

She smiled faintly, though he could hear her heart pounding, "You think I'm going to leave you here alone?"

"First chance you get, you run." Beast Boy told her. "No arguments."

Raven stared at him, gauging his seriousness. Eventually she nodded, "Okay."

Not liking this plan one bit, Beast Boy whispered, "Get ready, Devin."

"How will I know when to run?"

"Trust me, it'll be pretty obvious." With that, Beast Boy morphed into a fly, ignoring Devin's muffled gasp and working his way away from the others. Once he was in the corner farthest away from the exit, he landed and prepared to morph again.

A t-rex's roar resounded through the building, drawing every eye, mechanical or not, onto him. He glared as the robots ran towards him, his attention focused on the one person who wasn't trying to attack.

Slade stood in the back, several yards in front of the exit, arms crossed as he watched the changeling take on his robots. Noticing that Devin and Terra were sneaking along the aisle, trying to get past Slade and to the doors, Beast Boy threw a robot to the other side of the room, making it shatter. Slade's eye followed the destruction, giving Terra and Devin time to get out of the theater.

Just as they were almost free, Devin tripped and swore. Slade spun around, his eye wide as he stared at his former apprentice.

"Well, hello." He said, stepping towards them.

The couple got through the door, but Slade followed, seemingly intent on Terra. As soon as Terra's hair was free of the door, it slammed shut in Slade's face, black energies dancing across the wood, keeping Slade from opening it.

The maniac grinned, "Ah, but the real prize still remains. Come out, come out, wherever you are."

Beast Boy fought harder, knowing Raven's cover was blown. Robots went flying through the air, but it seemed no matter how hard he hit them, they just kept coming. Slade was now marching down the aisle, his eye sweeping through every one of the rows, looking for the empath.

With the robots swarming over him, Beast Boy couldn't stop Slade from getting closer and closer to where Raven was. He strained to get closer, managing one giant step as Slade looked down Raven's aisle –

And then moved on.

Slade sighed as he continued looking for Raven, "Childish games will get you no where. Remember the last time you tried to run from your destiny? You're only wasting my time and yours."

Raven, wherever she was, didn't respond.

"Fine." Slade said when he got no response. "Let's see how long you can stay hidden now."

It didn't look like he had pressed anything, but Beast Boy noticed a change in the robots. They weren't trying to hurt him so much as just get their hands on him. Suddenly a painful burst went through Beast Boy, an extinct noise of pain slipping out before he could help himself.

He felt shaky in the t-rex's body. As if the shocks were making his shifting unstable. Beast Boy tried to shake them off, unsure what another jolt would do to him. He managed to get several of them off, but that didn't stop them.

A second shock went through him, and Beast Boy lost his control on his form. He shrunk and fell to the ground, a combination of the robots and the shocks making him weak. They clambered on top of him, holding him down. Beast Boy's body was shuddering, as if he had been electrocuted.

"And so the faithful pet fails once more." Slade noted, standing just feet in front of the fallen changeling. "You can't protect Terra, you can't protect Raven. You can't even protect yourself."

A figure behind Slade brought his attention into sharp focus. Raven was coming into the open, apparently intent on helping him. The anger and fear for him on her face steeled his resolve. He wouldn't let Slade get to her. Not without a major fight. Something pushed at the back of Beast Boy's mind, begging to be set free.

Slade sat on his heels and one of the robots grabbed Beast Boy's hair, dragging his face up. Slade's eyes were almost level with Beast Boy's, never noticing Raven behind him. "I see you'll always be nothing more than a minor nuisance."

Beast Boy grinned, pupils dilating as he stared at Slade. "Want to see something new?" His words turned into a growl as Beast Boy let the beast loose.

He knew that Slade had seen the beast before. The last time Slade had tried to take Raven, Beast Boy had released it. However, Slade had been dead and had an invincible army of fire creatures with him. Perhaps now he'd see the beast in a new light.

A surge of strength, fueled by anger, ran through Beast Boy and he leapt up, throwing the robots off of him as if they were no more than sticks. Slade leapt back from him as the beast swiped out with his claws. Four parallel lines scraped across Slade's armor. Even he wasn't fast enough to outrun him now.

For a single, thrilling moment, there was fear in Slade's eyes when he looked at the beast. Pressing his advantage, the beast forced Slade back further and further, throwing robots off of him every time they managed to lay a hand on him. His vision pinpointed on Slade's face, on the marks his claws left on his armor, on the dilated pupil of Slade's single eye. Loving the rush he got from inspiring terror in his greatest enemy, the beast kept pushing Slade back, almost to the exit.

Suddenly, the distinctive noise of Raven's power rang through the air. Remembering himself, Beast Boy turned, guilt running through him as he saw Slade's bots advancing on her. She was managing to hold them off for now, but her powers were weakened; she wouldn't last much longer.

Slade grabbed the scruff of the beast, slamming him down on the ground. Yipping slightly, Beast Boy grabbed Slade's arm, throwing him across the room. Loping to Raven's side, Beast Boy swiped the robots away from her, leaving a few too damaged to get back up. His muzzled head swept back and forth, keeping an eye on the bots and searching for Slade, who was no where to be found.

As soon as there was a break, Beast Boy grabbed Raven's arm carefully in his clawed grip, running with her towards the entrance. Two robots leapt at Raven's unprotected side and she threw her power at them. She stumbled as the magik left her and threw the robots against the wall – she was worn out.

They got to the doors, when from the shadows at Beast Boy's left, there was a small click.

Such a tiny noise shouldn't have instilled the fear it did. It seemed so innocent. Just an almost silent noise. But it made Beast Boy's heart stop and he froze, looking into the shadows.

Slade stepped out, the gun cocked and pointed at the beast. Since when did Slade use guns?

"Stalemate, isn't it, my good Titans?" Only now did Beast Boy notice how unstable Slade's voice sounded. It was softer, but almost happy. He sounded mad. "You run, I fire. You attack, I fire. But I can't exactly kill you, little demon. So I guess I'll have to settle for your faithful dog instead."

Raven made a move to step forward, but the beast only tightened his grip on her, keeping her behind him.

"Beast Boy, don't-" She said, voice shaking a little.

Slade laughed, "That's right, Beast Boy. Step aside. Let Raven come with me, like she knows she should." The gun never wavered from Beast Boy's heart.

A low growl began in the beast's chest, growing louder as his feeling of helplessness grew. He couldn't move fast enough to get the gun before Slade could pull the trigger. He also knew that he and Raven couldn't outrun the bullet if they tried to make a break for it. Raven was out of power and he was out of options.

His growl grew into a snarl as they stood there, facing off against one another. Slade waited until he suddenly sighed.

"Time's up. Decisions?" He asked.

Raven tried to step past Beast Boy once more, but again he stopped her. Whatever happened, he wouldn't just hand her over to Slade.

Slade noticed the movements and shook his head. "Wrong choice, dog. Now, play dead."

There was a loud noise and a flash of light. Beast Boy felt a fire blossom in his chest. He fell back, landing with a loud crash on the ground. Raven was suddenly by his head, touching his face. She looked pretty worried.

Beast Boy attempted to smile, noticing that his face felt like normal, rather than the beast. When had he shifted back? Huh. He tried to reassure her that he was going to be okay, but his mouth felt funny and he couldn't speak. Her mouth was moving, but he couldn't hear anything she was saying. He closed his eyes, just for a second, to clear his head and figure out what was going on…

* * *

Raven panicked as Beast Boy closed his eyes, "Dammit, you stupid shapeshifter! I said don't close your eyes!"

She sighed when he didn't move, touching his chest. He was back in his normal, lean shape now, shallow breaths making his chest rise and fall.

"You are in so much trouble when you wake up." She whispered.

She rose to her feet, turning to face her enemy with a confidence she didn't know she had. "So what is it, Slade? A poison that only you have the antidote for? A molecular pulsator that keeps him from shifting to which you have the solution? Nothing more than a tranquilizer dart?"

His eye laughed at her, "Oh, so clever little Raven. How did you know?"

"If you killed him, you would have lost your leverage." She said calmly.

"You are correct." He laughed quietly. Raven didn't let it show how much his laugh unnerved her. There was something very different about Slade. He was unbalanced; perhaps his bout with Trigon and the return of his soul had gone wrong somehow, leaving him…like this.

"And as you must know, if you don't come with and cooperate with me, I'll have him killed." Slade said, his tone never changing from the slightly humored.

She shuddered slightly at that; she didn't doubt that he was being painfully honest. "Yes."

"Good." He motioned to his robots, who picked up the limp form of Beast Boy. She watched them go, a lump in her throat. She prayed that the Titans would be here any minute. Perhaps she could stall for just a bit longer…

"So what was it that you shot him with?" She asked, not moving from her spot.

He waved the hand with the gun in it, "Simple tranquilizer. Perhaps a bit more than I should have given him, but effective. He'll wake up none the worse for wear."

"Until the revenants get him." Raven said quietly.

His expressionless mask stared down at her. "So you know, then? That will save me some time."

"I apparently know more than you about them." Raven said, crossing her arms.

"Do tell." Slade said, leaning nonchalantly against the wall. There were several robots left, guarding the doors and keeping their flat, mechanical eyes on Raven.

"You seem to think you'll survive their attack." Raven said, "You are mistaken."

"Dear Raven, I have defeated a demon. What's a few minions after that?"

"The Devil himself couldn't defeat them. He could only trap them. Do you think they'll just pass you by, because you set them free?" She managed a scathing laugh. "They'll devour your soul, Slade. And then they'll eat whatever is left before moving on to the next victim. Sure, you'll get rid of the Titans, but you won't be around to enjoy it. They'll destroy the world."

He stared at her, "Perhaps it's my time. After all, I should have died twice already."

That threw her. Slade had such a strong sense of self-preservation. If he didn't care what happened to him, how could she get him to care about anyone else?

She thought quickly, realizing there was one more card she could play, should she choose to. Her sense of privacy argued against her, but she figured, in the long run, it would be worth it. Besides, she hadn't meant to learn this, she had just gleaned it in passing. She had never told anyone that she knew…

"Perhaps you're ready to go. But would you wish such a fate upon your son?" Raven asked calmly.

Slade's calm was suddenly gone and he flew across the aisle to her, inches from her face. She did her best not to quaver.

"And there, you crossed the line. You leave him out of this." Slade whispered.

"You think the revenants will listen to that?" She responded.

Cold metal was suddenly pressed against the side of her neck. She didn't flinch as Slade put the gun against her skin. He wouldn't kill her…yet. He'd probably leave all the messy work to the revenants.

"Enough talking." Slade said. And then he pulled the trigger.

Raven's last thought as she closed her eyes was, _maybe I shouldn't be so hard on Beast Boy for falling asleep._


	21. Midnight

A/N: Don't hate me. I promise there's more to come.

~EAD

* * *

Beast Boy woke up slowly. His head felt overly large and his mouth felt as if he were trying to swallow a bunch of cotton. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get the residual cobwebs out of his head. As painfully as a truck to the head, everything came rushing back. His eyes snapped open and he was as tense as he possibly could be.

He was back in his normal form – very normal. Someone had removed his ring, leaving him green. He tried to shift and found that he couldn't- something was blocking his powers. He moved him arm, flinching when it gave a spasm of pain. There was a small hole in his arm, right in the vein. As if something had been injected into his skin. Something that might keep him from shifting.

The next thing he noticed was that he was in a very small cage. It was scarcely two inches higher than his head would be if he was standing, and he could reach out and touch both sides before his arms were fully extended. The cage appeared to be underground, if the roughly hewn walls and ceiling were any indication. There was a setup of computers and monitors against one of the smoother walls, surveillance of what beast Boy guessed was the entrances to wherever he was. It almost looked like the warehouse they had caught the shifting creature in, but it was a bit larger. Robots were lined up against one of the other walls, blocking what appeared to be the only exit. That left Beast Boy's cage against the third wall, and a small group clustered against the wall across from him.

He stood up, using the bars to lift himself off the ground. He felt shaky and disoriented still. But, considering he sort of thought he was going to die, he could deal with that. Beast Boy looked to where the commotion was.

Slade was bending over something on a table, other robots surrounding it so Beast Boy couldn't see what it was.

"Slade." He called out. No point waiting in silence.

The criminal turned, looking over at the changeling. "You're awake. How unfortunate."

"Where's Raven?" Beast Boy asked, ignoring his comment.

"She's right here, safe and sound." Slade said, stepping to the side.

The real face of the empath greeted Beast Boy. She looked like she was asleep, breathing lightly. Her violet hair fell over her eyes as she lay face down on the table. But his main focus was on something else.

Her grey skin was red in many places all over her body. Up her right arm and across her shoulder. Down the right side of her back, along her spine, and back up the left. It looked like the marks she had when she became the portal for Trigon, but as Beast Boy stared, he realized they weren't on her skin.

They were cut _into_ her skin.

Slade had apparently ignored Beast Boy as he looked over Raven, having turned back to his work. Beast Boy watched in horror as Slade carefully sliced another symbol onto Raven's back with a scalpel. Beast Boy's hands tightened on the bars, but they were unyielding.

"Stop it, Slade. Don't do this." Beast Boy tried.

"Because if you tell me to, I'll certainly listen." Slade answered, still bent over the unconscious girl. "Hush, now. I have to get as much of this done as I can before she wakes up."

Beast Boy's jaw creaked. He hadn't considered Raven waking up to this. He prayed she stayed asleep until it was over.

"Why are you doing this? Why release the revenants?" He asked Slade.

"It's all about power. He who holds the monsters, holds the power. Trigon taught us that." He said, moving on to Raven's right shoulder.

"And look what happened to him." Beast Boy said. "They won't be like your robots. They won't listen to you. They'll do what they were created to do – destroy."

"And destruction suits me just fine." Slade said, admiring his work for a moment.

Beast Boy watched as a small trail of blood worked its way down Raven's arm to drip onto the floor. The cuts weren't very deep, but they would still be incredibly painful.

"It won't suit you when you're next on their list."

"Your friend tried to reason with me already, and she had much better material. You may as well save your breath." Slade said, adjusting Raven's arm before starting another symbol.

"If you do this, we're all going to be destroyed." Beast Boy tried anyway.

"Death is nothing." Slade answered, wiping the blade off before starting another symbol.

"I didn't say death. You won't die, Slade. It'll destroy your soul. Even the demons won't let these guys out and they live in Hell. How much worse do you think a destroyed soul must be to scare those guys?" Beast Boy asked.

"It must be dreadful." Slade said, unemotionally.

Beast Boy sighed, unsure of which tactic to take next. Suddenly, he laughed.

That got Slade's attention. He looked over at Beast Boy, pausing in his work.

"You think the Titans are annoying? You're about to release creatures that are not only much more disobedient than us, but better at destruction than you are. Talk about disappointment."

Slade merely turned back to his macabre art. "Enjoy your laughs while you can. I expect you won't have much time left."

Beast Boy was silent. There was no reasoning with Slade. He was determined to do this, no matter what happened to him, or to anyone else. He looked at the empath again, chest tightening when he saw her fingers twitch slightly as Slade drew the blade through her skin.

She was waking up.

"Slade, please, don't do this!" Beast Boy yelled, giving up on reasoning and trying begging. "Just stop!"

He didn't even look up this time.

"Please, Slade. Leave her alone."

The criminal looked up, head tilted slightly. He stared at Beast Boy, the scalpel hanging from his fingers. "You have such poor taste in women, Beast Boy. First Terra, now Raven. It's always the doomed ones."

"Thanks to you, every woman on earth would be a doomed one now." Beast Boy snapped, his eyes on Raven.

"Too true."

"I thought, after Trigon, you didn't want to risk death again, knowing what was waiting for you." Beast Boy tried to distract him, to keep him from cutting into Raven again.

"But as you said, the revenants won't kill you. I escape my afterlife's fate and take the rest of the world with me. Rather poetic, don't you think?"

"Is there no one on the world that you care for?"

Slade hesitated, not responding. He signaled to his robots, who turned Raven onto her back. Beast Boy watched helplessly as she frowned and her eyes fluttered open. She gasped as the pain sunk in, but the bots were holding down her arms and legs.

"Good morning." Slade said, apparently recovered from whatever Beast Boy's words had done to him. "Sleep well?"

He didn't wait for her to answer before he started another symbol, right across her collarbone. She winced, but didn't say anything. Her head rolled to the side, facing Beast Boy. Relief shot across her face as she saw him, unharmed and alive.

He didn't know what to say to her. So he settled for a small smile. Raven returned it, her face tight with pain. Beast Boy tried to shift again, but whatever was in him was still in effect. He was forced just to watch.

* * *

Raven lay there, feeling the blade bite into her skin. It was torturous, to let herself be hurt so much when she could be fighting back.

She still retained a potion of her powers yet. Probably enough to heal herself, or get the bots out of the picture, or set Beast Boy free. But not all three. Maybe not even one. Besides, if she healed herself, Beast Boy would be left trapped here and she'd have to fight her way out without magik and by herself. If she got rid of the bots, that left Slade free, Beast Boy trapped and her not only powerless but wounded. And if she released Beast Boy, who clearly couldn't shift or he would have done so already, he would be left to fight his way out alone, past the bots and Slade and find a way to get a weak empath out with him.

She was absolutely certain that she had enough power to do one thing, though. Her astral projections. She could still do one of those before being completely wiped again.

She dare not risk her small amount of power to stop the pain of the scalpel or risk a foolish escape attempt. She didn't even know where this place was. It could be miles and miles away from Jump City for all she knew.

No, she needed to save her last bit of energy for her final crazy plan. To catch the revenants inside of her mind. It was a last resort, but her options were running out very, very quickly.

So she endured the blade. Her eyes were squeezed shut, only a few tears leaking out now and then from the pain. Luckily, in a twisted sort of way, the tranquilizer hadn't quite worn off, leaving parts of her feeling very numb and her head disoriented. It made the pain more bearable.

Raven opened her eyes when Slade paused. She immediately found a pair of emerald eyes looking at her. She managed a small smile, but Beast Boy didn't return it. He was truly worried. Not that she could blame him. She was pretty worried, too.

There was no sign of the other Titans and her and Beast Boy were outnumbered fifteen to one. They had faced worse odds, but it hadn't been against Slade. And it had always been all five of the Titans, together.

The last time she had felt so alone had been the night of Trigon's ascension. It wasn't so bad this time, though. Beast Boy was here and she had a plan…not a very good plan, but a plan nonetheless. It was more than she had last time.

"One last symbol." Slade said, moving up to her face. The bots turned her face away from Beast Boy's, holding her still.

Slade delicately cut a curved line into her forehead. This time she didn't close her eyes. "You're going through with this?"

Slade responded, "I thought that would be clear."

"You're going to murder your son tonight." She ignored the tiny trail of blood that slipped across her face. Beast Boy didn't gasp, but she could sense his shock.

"I won't do"-

"Not by your own hand, but you'll cause his death. And you know how clever he is. He might figure it out in his last moments, between the screams." Raven knew how to be dark; it was her specialty.

Slade's eye narrowed, "Enough chatter. I'm finished." He looked at his robots, "Stand her up."

"Slade, don't do this!" Beast Boy shouted as she was pulled into a standing position.

"Quiet." Slade said, wiping off the scalpel and his hands. He stepped over to where the computers were, picking up a book Raven hadn't seen before. She blanched when she saw the title.

_The Revenanticorum_.

Without any dramatic words, Slade began reading from a passage. It had the peculiar rhythm and cadence of an incantation…or a summoning.

"Slade, stop!" Raven shouted. There was little else she could do at this point; books of the _Revenanticorum_'s age and power were impervious to magiks of any kind. She couldn't burn it or destroy it. It might be the only thing that survived the oncoming flood.

A sudden burst of noise from beyond the entrance made Slade pause and look towards it. It sounded an awful lot like a sonic cannon.

Reassured, Raven went to recite her words, the words that would throw the robots away from her and give the Titans time to get to her and Beast Boy. The words that would save the world. The words that-

That she couldn't utter. She was frozen in place, arms spread, eyes wide. She couldn't make her mouth move. Beast Boy's ears had perked up, he looked to the empath.

"Raven, do something!"

Her words were stuck in her throat; she tried, she tried so hard to do something, say anything that could save them.

Slade's momentary pause was over, he began speaking faster and faster, the ancient words rolling off his tongue in a way that even seemed to surprise him. Raven knew it was the incantation, rather than Slade's oratory skills. Spells like that _wanted_ to be spoken.

The sounds of the other Titans grew louder; more than Cyborg's sonic cannon was audible. Starfire's bolts rattled through the cavern, small explosions from Robin's utility belt rattled the rocks. They were getting closer, but not quickly enough.

Raven could tell that Slade was nearing the end of his passage. The tiniest blessing she had was that she could still move her eyes. She looked at Beast Boy, a little happy that her face wouldn't reveal how terrified she really was. He stared at her; she didn't think he had ever gone this long without smiling. That bothered her.

If Slade finished reading before the Titans showed up, that would be the end of her. But if the Titans showed up, they might have a chance still, they might-

Slade said the final word, closing the book and looking expectantly at Raven.

Raven could feel something beginning to build in her. It was warming in her chest that grew painfully hot in just a matter of seconds. It hurt…she was surprised she didn't combust then and there. In the silence, she clearly heard the sounds of chains unlocking far, far away.

Because the fire burnt so hot inside her, it took a moment for her to feel the cold. It was like ice sweeping through her, not only taking the heat from her body, but her happiness, her hope, anything good she could feel at all. She got so tired…

As intense as everything had been, it was like a sudden lack of all control and feeling when it stopped. She fell to the ground, barely able to force her eyes open to see what had happened. When she did see, she wanted nothing more than to close her eyes.

The Titans stood at the entrance to the cavern, armed and ready for a fight. Starfire was next to Beast Boy's cage, releasing him while keeping an eye on Slade, who just stood in the middle of the chaos, unmoving.

A wall of shadows stood between Raven and everyone else. They had no defined edges, faces or eyes. The only thing she could tell was that there were more than one of them. More than one revenant.

The Titans had been too late. That meant there was only one option left.

* * *

Beast Boy watched as Raven tried to pull herself up off the ground. She was shaking and clearly in pain.

"Come on, Star. Hurry it up!" Beast Boy said, keeping one eye on the shadows and one on Raven.

"I am trying!" She said, clearly distracted by the revenants.

Slade was already having second thoughts, sending his robots towards the shadows. Either it was second thoughts or a test for the revenants' powers.

They marched into the shadows, without independent thought. There was a screech of metal and as everyone watched, the robots rusted into place, their color leeching away and into the shadows. As the revenants slipped off of what remained Slade's robots, they seemed more solid, the shadows slightly more defined. They didn't advance…they swirled around, as if they were trying to reform, to get oriented before they began what they were created to do.

With a burst of light, Cyborg shot his cannon into the middle of the shadows. It had absolutely no effect. Robin threw several spheres into the mob, lights and sounds exploding, making everyone look away. But there wasn't a single mark on the revenants. After Starfire finally broke the cage, she shot her bolts into it, with as much success as the others.

"What do we do?" Cyborg asked.

"You do nothing!" Slade yelled, "It's over, Titans!"

"Silence." Starfire said, glaring at the criminal for a moment before looking at the shadows.

"How do we stop them?" Robin asked, ready to fight something he couldn't possibly win against.

"You don't." A raspy voice broke through. Raven had forced herself onto her feet. "I can."

Beast Boy glanced at her, "Don't even think about it."

"There aren't any other options, Beast Boy." She said, taking a deep breath.

"There has to be another way!" He yelled, taking a step closer to the shadows.

"What is going-" Robin tried to ask.

"No time." Raven said, raising her hands, "I'm so sorry."

With a surprisingly calm voice, she recited her mantra; "Azarath, metrion, zinthos."

Two shadows, somehow warmer than the revenants, shot out from Raven's body. The larger one, shaped like the raven she was named for, enveloped the revenants, pulling them away from the others and towards the empath.

"Raven!" Starfire shouted, fear for her friend obvious.

A smaller, second shadow headed unerringly towards Beast Boy. It touched his chest, filling him with warmth. He blinked, and the feeling and the revenants were gone.

So was Raven.

Before anyone could react, there was an explosion. It threw everyone in the room back against the walls.

Dazed, it took a moment for Beast Boy to figure out what had happened. He stumbled to his feet, looking at the tiny figure on the floor. He got to her side before any of the other Titans did.

"Rae?" He asked, touching her face.

There was no response. She was breathing, but it was shallow and her eyes were still behind her lids. This wasn't just sleep. The marks from the ritual were gone, but she was really pale. He didn't know what to do.

"How is she?" Cyborg asked, stepping over to Beast Boy.

"I…I don't know." Beast Boy answered, his voice very quiet.

There was a scuffle from the exit and Robin yelled, "No! Star, stop him!"

Beast Boy turned, seeing the edge of Slade's boot disappear around the corner.

The revenants were gone. The robots were demolished. Raven was comatose.

Beast Boy tested his powers, feeling his skin ripple and reform. Whatever had been in his system had been powerful, but not long-lasting. He was back to normal. And he had only one focus. One single, angry, blood-thirsty thought.

Beast Boy snarled, preparing to morph to run after Slade.

"No."

The changeling froze, staring at his leader, "No?"

"You need to stay here with Raven."

There was no denying that to be the truth. But Beast Boy was torn, "What about-"

"You leave him to me." Robin answered.

Beast Boy straightened up, still holding onto Raven's hand. "You sure you can take him?"

The other teen glanced at the prone body of the empath; their friend, his sister. "I promise you- either he's walking away in cuffs, or I'm not walking away at all."

Beast Boy should have found it in him to try and convince Robin not to do it. It was dangerous. It was fool-hardy. His abilities were compromised by the depth of his hatred and anger at Slade. But Beast Boy looked down at Raven's body and said the only words he could;

"Take him down."


	22. Lime

A/N: Hey…I think you're all going to dislike me even more now. Any questions or comments or why-the-heck-did-you-do-that?'s are appreciated and will be answered.

Don't hate me. It isn't over yet.

~EmeraldsAndDaggers

* * *

The T-Car was silent on the drive home. Robin had disappeared, taking after Slade. Cyborg was driving, not speaking. Starfire was in the passenger side, kneeling on the front seat and her eyes on the duo in the backseat.

Beast Boy's eyes were focused on the unmoving empath. Her head was pillowed in his lap. Street lights lit up her face every few seconds, though it never changed. Honestly, if it wasn't for the tiny breaths she took in every few seconds, it would have looked like she was dea-

He stopped his thoughts there, not willing to even think the word. She wasn't dead. She wouldn't die. He wouldn't let it happen. Still, it was hard for him to get rid of the leaden feeling in his stomach and the knot in his throat that made it hard for him to swallow.

"Who's that?" Cyborg asked, looking ahead of them.

Beast Boy glanced up, not particularly caring. They were just outside the Tower now, entering the garage. There was a figure waiting outside the doors. The headlights sweapt over the shadow, and the person shielded their eyes. A flash of blonde hair caught Beast Boy's attention though.

"Terra?"

Cyborg opened up the garage, pulling in. Starfire and Cyborg got out, addressing Terra. He heard part of their conversation.

"Thank god you guys are here. I've been running for the past two hours." Terra said. She was still in her outfit. Hard to believe that their date had only been a few hours ago.

"You are unharmed?" Starfire asked. Her voice was kinder than the last time they had spoken.

"I'm fine. Where's Beast Boy? And Raven? Did you guys get to them? Are they…"

Terra trailed off as Beast Boy finally managed to get out of the car, carrying Raven. Her blue eyes widened and began to water.

"Oh no…she's not…she's not…?" Terra asked, taking a few steps closer.

"She's alive." Cyborg said. "We're taking her up to the infirmary now."

Beast Boy followed Cyborg upstairs, Terra and Starfire bringing up the rear.

"Where is Robin?" Starfire suddenly asked, looking around.

"Probably took a detour on his bike. I'm sure he'll be back soon." Cyborg told her.

Beast Boy didn't correct them. Robin hadn't wanted any company for what he was about to do. He wasn't going to tell the others where he really was.

They reached the infirmary. Cyborg turned on the lights and machines as Beast Boy set the empath down on a bed. He watched as Cyborg attached various wires and things to her. She looked so small, just lying there. When she was awake, she seemed much more sturdy and capable…maybe it was just the way she would look at people and the confidence she radiated. Whether or not she knew it, she was one of the strongest and bravest people he had ever met.

"What's wrong with her?" Terra asked.

Cyborg stared at the monitors. "I'm not sure…everything is working fine, but she just won't wake up. I don't even know what she did."

"What do you mean?" Starfire said from the foot of Raven's bed.

"I mean, the revenants were there, and then they were gone. What did she do? Did she send them back?"

Terra suddenly gasped and stared at Beast Boy, "Tell me she didn't do it."

He looked at her, expressionless. "She did."

Much to Cyborg's and Starfire's shock, tears began sliding down Terra's face. "Oh my god…I'm so sorry."

Beast Boy realized that Terra was the only one conscious in this room that knew of Raven and his relationship. She was the only one who remotely understood what he was going through right now.

"What did she do?" Cyborg asked, frowning.

"She trapped them in her mind." Beast Boy said, eyes back on Raven's face.

"But they are incapacitated, yes?" Starfire asked, hope in her voice.

"No. The revenants are fine. They're just confined to Raven, now. She brought them to Nevermore."

Cyborg stared down at Raven, "Why would she do that?"

"It was the only way she knew to stop them." Terra said when Beast Boy didn't answer.

He had a sudden thought, one that lightened the ache in his chest. "We can help her."

"What?" Terra asked.

"Nevermore. She brought them to Nevermore. We can get there through her mirror!" Beast Boy said, shocked he hadn't thought of it before. They would just go through and help Raven finish off the revenants, and then she could just bring them all back home. Everything would be fine. He looked up at Cyborg, expecting to see him as excited as he was.

Instead, the robot-man looked uncomfortable. "I don't know, B."

"You don't know?" The changeling asked, his voice lower and suddenly darker. "What do you mean, you don't know?"

"We should wait for Robin." Starfire said, her expression frighteningly similar to Cyborg's.

"Fine." Beast Boy said, understanding that, at least. "We wait for the boy wonder."

"Robin?"

Beast Boy turned at Starfire's voice. Robin limped into the infirmary, holding his shoulder. His outfit was torn and ripped, small cuts bleeding sluggishly. There was something about the way he held himself, though. It was different.

"Are you okay?" Cyborg asked, voice tensed. Starfire had floated over to him, looking over his injuries. Terra just gaped at how wounded he was.

"I'm…I'm fine." Robin said, his words strong despite his wounds.

Starfire touched his face, "Where did you go?"

"Slade." Robin answered.

Starfire gasped and Cyborg frowned. Beast Boy just looked into the boy wonder's eyes.

"And?"

"He won't bother us again." Robin said.

For a moment, there was complete understanding between Robin and Beast Boy. Despite their differences, they both knew how to protect the ones they loved. And when someone hurt their family? Well, Beast Boy thought as he watched Robin limp over to a chair, a new power in his eyes, they'd best be prepared.

"How is she?" Robin asked, staring at Raven.

Cyborg shook his head, "There's nothing wrong with her…physically. But BB and Terra just told us what really happened."

"What?" Robin asked, taking the gauze Starfire had brought him and beginning to wrap up his injuries.

"She brought the revenants into Nevermore. They're in her head."

"Why would she do that?" Robin paused in his ministrations.

"Because she's Raven." Beast Boy said, ready to finally get moving. "But we can help her."

Robin just waited.

"They're in Nevermore. We can get there through her mirror and help her take them down. Then she'll just teleport us all back out. Cy and I have been there before and-"

"No, Beast Boy." Robin said with a frown.

Something none too pleasant stirred beneath Beast Boy's skin. "Did you just say 'no'?"

"I did." He didn't look very happy about it.

Somehow, the changeling was on his feet, facing his leader. "Care to explain why?"

"You heard what these things can do. It's very likely that she isn't even ali-"

"Don't say that." Beast Boy interrupted, fists clenched. "She's still fighting them."

"The only thing that ever stopped the revenants was the devil. How do you expect us to stop them?" Robin was on his feet now, too, glaring back at the changeling. "If we go in there, we've turned our backs on Jump City. We're here for them. We can't leave them unprotected."

"But we can turn our backs on Raven?" Beast Boy shouted.

"If we knew she was still all right, if we had any semblance of a plan or way to stop these things, I'd be first in line to save her. She's a part of this team and that isn't something we take lightly. But I can't send all of us on a suicide mission, just for one person. If she comes through this, it'll be wonderful. But if she can't…there's nothing we can do to save her." Robin said.

"You don't want to risk it. Fine. I will." Beast Boy said, ready to head towards the door.

"You can't, Beast Boy."

"Don't tell me what I can or can't do!" Beast Boy spun and yelled, his pupils dilating as he lost a bit of control. "I'm not so ready to give up on her!"

"We need you on this team." Robin said, not backing down. "I can't let you sacrifice yourself because of her decision."

"But Raven can take the fall for all of us? Do you know what shit she went through while hiding out from Slade? How alone she felt when you didn't believe that Slade knew who she really was? How differently do you think this would have panned out if you had believed her?"

"I couldn't just pull her out of there again. If Slade hadn't known, he would once she and Terra disappeared from Murakami." Robin said. "It was the logical decision to make." He glanced at the empath quickly before looking back up at Beast Boy, "I'm sorry, but we can't risk going in there. We just have to wait."

"And you're fine with that?" Beast Boy asked, scorn dripping off his words.

"I'm not fine with it. She's a part of this team. I don't want to just give up, but there isn't a logical alternative. She made-"

"Say her name, Robin." Beast Boy said.

"What?" He asked, frowning.

"You haven't said her name. Not once, while you decided we're going to leave her to the revenants."

Starfire's eyes were wide as she watched this exchange. Terra stood in the corner, tears still dripping down her cheeks. Cyborg looked uncomfortable, staring at Raven.

"I want you to say it, Robin. Give me a direct order, so I can hear you." Beast Boy said. He barely knew what he was saying anymore. The animal was moments away from exploding out.

Robin shook his head, "Beast Boy-"

"Give me the order."

Something clicked behind Robin's masked face. His eyes dropped, before rising to the changeling's again. "We are not going to help Raven."

Those words set loose what had been hiding beneath the surface of all the Titans. Starfire's eyes spilled over, staring at her friend. Terra's tears intensified, though she was silent about it. Cyborg's head drooped as he turned back to the monitors.

Robin stared at Beast Boy, neither one of them having moved. Finally Robin hung his head. "I'm sorry."

The sorrow in his voice drove away Beast Boy's anger. He'd never agree with the order and he'd never make the same decision, but he knew Robin was only trying to protect the rest of them.

Heading back to his chair at Raven's side, Beast Boy quietly said, "Not me you should be apologizing to."

It was silent after that. Slowly, the Titans and Terra drifted out of the room, knowing there was nothing they could do for Raven now. Soon, only Beast Boy remained. Most of the lights were off. Only the emergency light by the door was on, and the faint glows from the monitors illuminated Raven's pale face. Beast Boy didn't mind the dark.

He held Raven's hand in his, trying to ignore how cold it felt. She was going to make it. If anyone could, it would be her.

"Rae…you have to come through this, okay?" He whispered into the shadows, hoping that somehow, she could hear him. "I need you to wake up and be all right. Please?"

She didn't respond. No movement, other than her steady, shallow breathing. Her eyes didn't flicker, he finger didn't twitch. She was like a statue.

"Come on, Raven. Please." Beast Boy rested his head on the bed, turned so he could see her face. He didn't let go of her hand.

Though he didn't want to, his eyes began to close. He was exhausted. He couldn't remember a time where he felt more drained. He resolved to close his eyes, just for a minute. When she woke up, he'd still be there for her. Besides, it'd just be for a minute…

_As Beast Boy slept, he had the most interesting dreams. They were all memories, but ones that were remembered incorrectly. For example: the night he had gone to Raven's room after Malchior had hurt her. He was watching the scene from above, rather than from his point of view. He remembered stuttering through his speech, admitting she was creepy, but telling her it didn't mean she had to be alone. Then the infamous hug._

_ And then things got weird. He got this surge of warmth that resonated safety and comfort. That's when he realized that although he was remembering his past, it wasn't from his point of view._

_ It was from Raven's._

_ He knew now that this wasn't a dream, but her last message to him. The shadow hadn't been just a symbol. It had carried all of this with it, just waiting until he was receptive enough to see all of it. The things she felt and thought when she was around him. The things she hadn't had a chance to admit to herself, or to him._

_ The scenes continued playing out in front of Beast Boy._

_ The very first time they had met, when the Gordanians had hurt him, the worry for him slammed into Beast Boy like a mallet. _

_ Raven, watching him and Terra together, had given him a piece of her jealousy and loneliness without him._

_ The time she had bumped into him after his shower. Half-clothed and damp, he had grinned and run off, leaving a blushing and suddenly confused empath behind him. He hadn't even noticed that at the time._

_ Seeing the beast rising up in his human form after she had been attacked – she hadn't been afraid, only impressed and a little amazed._

_ The security she had felt when he had come to her in the alley after Slade had dislocated her arm._

_ The night he had to leave her to patrol with the Titans. She let him see part of her nightmare, and the tears it had left behind. But, she also showed him the relief she had the next morning when he had shown up and she had fallen asleep on her shoulder._

_ Her embarrassment and fear during their first kiss and how his words and actions had soothed that away, making her feel like she was someone worth caring about._

_ More and more scenes were interspersed between these ones. Just small moments Raven had decided were important enough to show him. How she showed him, without words, just how much he had meant to her and how much he had helped her._

_ The final scene was the most painful for him to watch. It was only just hours ago. He watched Raven pulling herself up, the revenants between the two of them. And he felt her conviction that she was doing the right thing. The tiny bit of fear she had hid from her fellow Titans. But mostly, he felt her gratefulness that she had been able to keep them from hurting him. She was at peace when she pulled the revenants in, the last thing she had seen had been a pair of emerald eyes._

Beast By shot awake at the end of that scene, his ears ringing and his hands shaking. He had no doubt how Raven felt about him now. And he also knew exactly how much he cared for her. But it was too late for anything, now. He missed his chance.

The ringing in his ears still hadn't gone away and he frowned, rubbing them. He glanced up at the silent empath, his breath catching when he realized it wasn't his ears at all.

It was her heart monitor, sending out a single, unbroken beep.

Her heart had stopped.


	23. Jungle

A/N: I must say, the last chapter inspired the most heated reviews. I'm sorry for the cliffhanger. I hope that by updating with fifteen hours of the last chapter, it will keep you from hating me permanently.

Don't hate Robin, guys. He's just trying to protect what's left of the team. I'm actually a huge Robin fan. I think he's pretty cool, though not always right. He's flawed, and that's nice.

Watched Trouble in Tokyo and decided that in my Titan-verse, it just doesn't happen. I love the movie, but Raven and Beast Boy don't get along at all and that's not fun.

I was surprised by the lack of interest in Slade and Robin's fight. I mean, I know, there were some other intense things going on, but come on. _Slade and Robin_, with Robin's rather ambiguous explanation of how it ended? That had to get some of you interested. I explain it anyway, because I wanted to know what happened.

Thanks to all my reviewers. Thanks for sticking with me through cliffhangers. This next one isn't so bad. :)

* * *

_The ringing in his ears still hadn't gone away and he frowned, rubbing them. He glanced up at the silent empath, his breath catching when he realized it wasn't his ears at all._

_It was her heart monitor, sending out a single, unbroken beep._

_Her heart had stopped._

_

* * *

_

Beast Boy remained frozen for less than a second. Then he went into autopilot, performing the CPR that Mento had demanded everyone knew how to do. He knew his hands were shaking, but he ignored that.

"Cyborg!" He yelled, not knowing if anyone was awake to hear him.

Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. The counts went through his head without him consciously thinking about it. He bent down, blowing air into Raven's unmoving lungs. He immediately went back to compressions, the counts continuing.

"Cyborg!" He screamed louder. His well-attuned ears caught the sounds of movement. Someone was coming.

"Raven, I swear, if you don't comeback from this, I'm going to be so mad." He muttered unintelligibly.

Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Beast Boy breathed for her again. She felt so cold.

"Come on, Raven!" He yelled at her, the terror of what was happening making him lose reason.

Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. He forced the air past her lips, suddenly grateful that Mento had drilled this procedure into his brain.

Beast Boy took in a deep breath, "CYB-"

"I'm here!" The robot yelled, charging into the room. He took one glance at what was happening and opened up cabinets.

"How long?" Cyborg asked, his hands moving quickly and without hesitation.

"I-I don't know. I was asleep and…" He trailed off.

Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. He gave her more air, glancing up as Cyborg approached.

Beast Boy's hands continued compressions as Cyborg attached wires to her chest. He connected it to a defibrillator, the whole process taking less than five seconds.

It felt like hours to Beast Boy.

"Clear!" Cyborg yelled.

Beast Boy jumped back, watching as a shock went through Raven. Her body convulsed, but the unbroken beep continued.

"Again." Beast Boy said, staring at her closed eyes as he resumed the compressions.

Cyborg recharged it, cursing as it took a moment. There was a bit of a commotion by the door. Beast Boy ignored it.

Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. She felt even colder this time as he gave her more of his air.

"Clear." Cyborg said again.

Beast Boy lifted his hands up, not moving very far away.

Her back arched again, but the beep continued.

"Again." Beast Boy said, his hands noticeably shaking this time as he simulated her heartbeat.

"B…" Cyborg tried to say, his human eye watering.

He snapped a bit then. "Dammit, Cyborg! I said again!"

A moment later, Beast Boy stepped back again, another shock running through Raven's system. Her heart still wouldn't beat on its own.

Cyborg began getting the defibrillator ready a fourth time without Beast Boy saying anything. A voice from the doorway spoke up instead.

"Beast Boy, maybe it's-"

He ignored whoever spoke. Whatever they were saying wasn't worth listening to at this moment.

"Raven, if you don't cut this crap out, I'm coming in there after you and beating you up myself! Now fight it! Come back!" He yelled at her.

"Clear." Cyborg said, something choking in his voice.

Beast Boy removed his hands, watching the fourth shock course through her. She fell back to the bed, monitor still showing nothing more than a line.

There was a muffled sob from the doorway. Cyborg wasn't charging up the defibrillator again. Beast Boy continued the compressions, ignoring the rest of them.

"Come on, Raven. Please."

Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Breathe.

"You're stronger than this. You can make it through."

Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Breathe.

"Raven, dammit! You can't do this!"

Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Breathe.

"Come on, Rae…I need you to come back."

Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Breathe.

A pair of robotic and human arms stopped him from continuing. "B, it's over."

"It isn't." Beast Boy said quietly, unable to put any force behind his words. "She's not…"

"No!"

The word was screamed and both Cyborg and Beast Boy were forced away from Raven's side as Starfire flew over to the bed, her eyes wild and cheeks tear-stained. "It is not over!"

Starfire's hands began to crackle and glow green. Before anyone knew what was happening, Star threw the energy bolt into Raven's chest, making the monitor go haywire for a minute, cracking and sizzling.

"Star, what did you-" Robin began to say.

_Beep_.

Everyone stared at the monitor, holding their breaths and waiting to see if it would-

_Beep_.

Beast Boy fell into the chair as he watched the steady heart rate show up on the screen. She was alive.

He watched Raven's face, hoping for some sort of sign that she was still in there, fighting. But there was nothing hinted at in that serene composure. She just lied there. The same as before.

The Titans were all silent for a moment, watching the reassuring line jump every few seconds. Finally, Beast Boy asked the question he was dreading the answer to.

"How long?"

Cyborg looked at the monitors, concern and then relief sweeping over his face. "Only about five seconds before you started compressions."

Beast Boy sagged in relief, rubbing his eyes. Only five seconds. People survived that. So would Raven.

Cyborg began rustling in the cabinets again.

"What are you doing?" Robin asked.

"Cooling her down. It'll keep any more damage from happening to her organs." Cyborg said, pulling out handfuls of ice packs. He moved quickly, cracking them all and laying them around Raven's prone form.

Beast Boy just stared, hoping, if he looked hard enough, if he hoped long enough, she would just wake up and everything would be okay.

"B!"

He glanced up at Cyborg, realizing he had been trying to get his attention for a few minutes now.

"What?" He said, eyes already back on the empath.

"I said, you have to get out of here." The other Titans were already gone, leaving Cyborg and Beast Boy the only ones in the room.

"I'm fine."

"Seriously, man. Go eat something. Get some sleep. Take a walk. Just get out of this room for a while, okay?"

"I don't-"

"She'll be here when you come back."

The thought was both comforting and upsetting. "Fine."

Beast Boy touched her hand once more, silently willing her to wake up, or at least not do anything stupid while he was gone. There was no response, despite his hoping for one.

He left the room, stepping into the hallway. He stood there for a moment, not entirely sure what to do. He eventually settled on a shower.

Beast Boy made his way to the bathroom, grabbing a spare outfit on his way there. Once inside, he stripped off the button up shirt and jeans he had worn to the disastrous date. Stepping into the shower, he began to mentally berate himself.

If they hadn't gone on a date, then Slade wouldn't have found them…

If he hadn't been asleep on the way home on Thursday, Slade might not have attacked her for the second time, learning who she really was…

If he had been paying more attention during the movie, he would have been able to keep them from being cornered by Slade and his minions…

If he had been faster…

If he had been stronger…

If he had been better…

There was a pounding on the bathroom door. "You okay in there?" Robin asked. "It's been an hour."

Not realizing he had spent so much time wallowing in his guilt, Beast Boy hopped out, dressing quickly. "I'm fine."

Robin hesitated. "All right." Beast Boy heard his steps moving away.

Throwing the hated date clothes into the laundry, Beast Boy felt a little more at home now that he was wearing his uniform again. It was good to be back to his real self. He decided to grab something to eat, though the leaden feeling in his stomach protested the idea. He knew he had to eat something, at least. He looked at the clock. It was nearly sunset. It had been almost a day since the date.

Beast Boy walked into the common room, heading over to the fridge. He grabbed something, though he wasn't entirely sure what, and ate it quickly. He just wanted to get back to the infirmary.

"Terra?" Starfire asked, stepping through the doors.

Beast Boy glanced up, "What's wrong?"

"She doesn't seem to be in the Tower." Starfire said, frowning.

Beast Boy, already leaving the room, replied, "I wouldn't worry about it, Star. I'm sure she's fine. Ask Robin, if you're still worried."

"He is with Raven, now. I do not wish to disturb him." Starfire said, her eyes beginning to well up again.

Beast Boy swallowed against the catch in his throat. "I'll…I'll tell him. I'm heading there now."

"Do you think she will be okay?" Starfire asked, all innocence and hope.

"I don't know." He said quietly, meeting her eyes.

She bit her lip and nodded. "Go."

Beast Boy walked through the halls, trying to keep his feet from running. She wouldn't be awake. She would be just the same as she was when he had left.

Despite the depressing mantra, he realized he had still help out hope when he opened the door and was saddened to see that it was true. Robin was sitting by her side, speaking quietly, having not noticed Beast Boy's entrance.

"…and I hit him and he fell over the edge. I went over to the body, calling the authorities. They pronounced him then and there. I ordered them to have his remains cremated…as foolish as it is, I didn't want to take any more chances. I didn't mean to kill him. I tried to catch him as he fell, but I couldn't."

"But, I feel happy, Raven. Happy that he's gone for good and can't hurt any of us ever again. I shouldn't, though. It feels wrong to be happy about it. But I can't help it."

He sighed, rubbing his eyes, "If you were awake, you'd tell me it's natural and that you can't help what you feel. But without hearing it, it's difficult to believe. I wish you were here, Raven…"

Beast Boy cleared his throat, announcing his presence. Robin glanced up, something glistening at the corner of his eye before he blinked it away.

"Hey." He said, voice suddenly gruff.

Beast Boy nodded, "Hi."

"There's been no change." Robin said, standing up.

"I didn't expect one." The changeling answered, taking his seat next to Raven.

Robin stared at Raven's face for a minute, not speaking. Beast Boy noticed his fists clench before he turned and walked out of the room, without one word.

Settling himself for a long wait, Beast Boy looked over Raven. Someone had changed her from the torn and bloody jeans and top into her leotard. Probably Star. She looked better. More like herself. He took her hand again, noticing that it was still pretty cold to the touch.

He just sat there in silence, staring at her. This wasn't like the time she had healed him and then passed out. He couldn't entertain himself and be a little more light-hearted about it. Then, people had known what was going on and that she was going to be okay. Now, it was like they were just waiting for her to d-

He shook his head violently. That is not what he was doing. He was waiting for her to wake up, and he'd wait forever, if that's what it took. He would be there when she woke up.

Time passed both quickly and agonizingly slowly for him. It felt like he had only been there for minutes, staring at her face, but when he looked up, an hour had passed. At the same time, the moments between her breaths and the beats of her heart seemed to drag on, making him painfully tense until the next rise of her chest or beep of the monitor. His shoulders hurt and his eyes burned, but he didn't move from his spot.

"B?"

The changeling looked up, listless. He saw Cyborg standing in the door to the infirmary. There was a tiny smile on his face.

"What?" Beast Boy asked, too tired and worn out to try and pretend to be happy.

"You should come and see this."

"Cy, I'm really not in the mood." Beast Boy said, looking down at Raven again.

"Please, B."

As unwilling as he was to leave Raven's side, the "please" got him.

"Fine." He stood and walked to the door. "What is it?"

"Come on." Cyborg merely said, leading the way to the common room. It was silent as they walked; Cyborg didn't seem to know what to say to Beast Boy and Beast Boy didn't have anything to say.

The doors slid quietly open, revealing that all the lights in the common room were off. Beast Boy frowned, looking around. He saw Robin and Starfire standing at the window. He noticed, with a dulled sense of surprise, that Robin's arms were wrapped around Star's waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. As he stared, the boy wonder even dropped a kiss on her cheek. It seemed that things had progressed beyond a simple trip to the mall.

He found it hard to be happy for them, though, while the girl he cared for was lying in a hospital bed. He wanted to be happy. He really did. But he couldn't.

Walking over to the window, Beast Boy just gaped, unable to help being surprised now. He stared out at the darkened water, amazed.

Dozens of tiny boats dotted the shadowed harbor between the island the Tower was on and the shore of Jump City. Candles floated on the waves and were placed all over the boats, illuminating the groups of teenagers on each one. Signs had been painted and Beast Boy could make out some of them.

_For Rachel Roth_

_ Thank you, Raven_

_ Our thoughts are with you, Titans_

_ Our hero_

On almost all of the posters was a picture of Raven. Beast Boy had never expected this sort of reaction from her former classmates. She had an impact on them…on everyone she had met. If only she could see this. If only she knew how many people cared about her.

"How did they…?" Beast Boy asked, staring at all the groups.

"Terra." Cyborg said. "She said there's a few people who wanted to come up to see her, but the rest of them came along and are just out there…letting us know they care."

"Who wanted to come up?" Robin asked.

"Us."

Beast Boy turned to see Terra standing with a group from student housing. Chi, Michele, Mary and Timotei stood there, all looking worried.

Beast Boy walked over. The girls looked confused, and then with an almost collective gasp, they recognized him.

"Garfield?" Mary asked.

Timotei had ignored them and stuck out his hand. "Please to be meeting the real you, Beast Boy."

Beast Boy took it, unable to even give him a smile in return. Timotei noticed.

"How is she?"

Beast Boy shook his head, "Not good."

"May we see her?" Michele asked, the shine of tears on her face already.

He nodded, leading the way to the infirmary. Cyborg and the other Titans followed them. Beast Boy looked at Terra.

"You told them." It wasn't a question.

"They deserved to know. And Raven deserved to have what she really did for everyone explained. I didn't want her to just…disappear. Without anyone ever knowing why." She took a breath. "A lot of people care about her."

"So I see." Beast Boy said. They had reached the infirmary.

Chi and Mary stood in the doorway, looking shocked at Raven's true visage. Timotei and Michele didn't hesitate, walking right over to her, each touching one of her hands.

"Will she…will she ever wake up?" Michele asked, her voice thick.

Mary and Chi, having recovered, began to see the resemblances between Rachel and Raven and stepped nearer.

"We don't know." Cyborg answered.

Timotei was pale, just staring down at her. "How can we help?"

Robin shook his head, "There's nothing we can do. She's on her own."

"But the…the revenants. They'll continue hurting her." Timotei said, revealing his knowledge of the situation.

"Yes." Robin answered, quietly.

"They may kill her." The Romanian boy said, very quietly.

There was no answer.

Timotei looked to Beast Boy, who was standing against the wall, staring at Raven.

"You can save her."

Beast Boy's chest clenched. "I can't. I don't know how."

"You don't need to know anything_. __Iubirea ca moartea e de tare._" He said quickly.

Beast Boy shook his head, not understanding. Timotei walked over to him, taking his shoulder tightly and saying quietly, so no one overheard, "Love is as strong as death."

The changeling stood there, staring at the Romanian. "I…"

Mary interrupted, "We should go. Leave you to…to yourselves. This is a family thing."

"Thank you for coming. I know it would mean a lot to Raven." Cyborg said.

Timotei was the last one out, his eyes staring into Beast Boy's, trying to tell him something without actually saying it.

Beast stood frozen for a moment, his mind scrambling to make sense of anything. Finally, his body caught up with what his mind was screaming at him to do. He turned and ran out of the infirmary, ignoring the questions from behind him. He hurtled past his room and Robin's, finally reaching the door he wanted.

He pushed Raven's door open, stepping into the shadows of her room. Robin wouldn't let the Titans go after her. Fine. Beast Boy wouldn't be a Titan. He'd be Garfield and he'd go after her. Nothing else would happen to Raven. Enough was enough.

He looked for the mirror, annoyed that in the meticulously clean room, he couldn't find a damn thing. He walked further in, seeing something reflect the light on Raven's nightstand. He walked over, his fingers inches from the surface.

A familiar, but impossible voice broke the silence.

"Beast Boy."


	24. Persian

A/N: Hey. I have to work a lot this weekend, so I wanted to post one more chapter without such a painful cliffhanger. Here it is.

Before you get all science-y on me, I know that what is suggested in this can't actually happen. It is a theory, but I know it's a really, really long time away. I figure, they've got Cyborg and a spaceship and a submarine and stuff. They can probably manage all this. They're just that awesome.

Okay, here goes:

* * *

_A familiar, but impossible voice broke the silence._

_"Beast Boy."_

_

* * *

_

He jumped at the sound of Raven's voice, his chest tightening. Picking up the mirror carefully, he looked into it. Raven stared out from the glass, looking more than a little tired. Her hood was up, though singed and burned in a few places. She quickly looked around her before turning back to the mirror.

"Raven?" He whispered.

"I know it will be you who decides to go into my room first, so I'm leaving this message for you." Her voice was low, almost as calm as her last moments had been.

It was a recording. Like an answering machine. A final message from her. Beast Boy sat down on her bed, cradling the mirror between his hands as he watched her, drinking up everything he possibly could.

"I'm not sure if you're considering entering this mirror…you would be the one to make the connection, or if you're just trying to annoy me. But either way, you need to smash my mirror." She looked around her again. "I've managed to capture them in here. The revenants won't be able to escape through my mind, since my mind is in here with them. They're constantly brought back…an endless, unbreakable circle."

She smiled a little. "The strongest things any of the worlds have ever heard about and I've managed to catch them. But they can only remain here as long as I am in here. And if they escape…" Her smile faded, and she was serious once more. "They mustn't escape. Ever. They've destroyed Nevermore…I've been using my powers to try and weaken them. I might have succeeded a little, but I can't go on forever. Soon, I'll exhaust my reserves and then…" Raven took a deep breath, "Then, I'll use a little more, ensuring that my body is destroyed in fire. The revenants should be destroyed with me. No one will be able to free them ever again. So don't worry about them. I've got it taken care of."

She looked a little uncomfortable, "I suppose I should…anything I own, do as you see fit. Keep it, donate it, get rid of it. I don't need it anymore. Though there are a few Christmas presents in my closet…I was going to give them to you, but…" Raven pushed her hood away from her face. Beast Boy took note of the dark circles beneath her eyes and the bruises and scrapes on her pale skin. Raven flushed a little, "You were all my closest friends. I'm so grateful to have known you…to spend so much time with you. Cyborg, my loving big brother. Starfire, who continued to smile and talk to me even when I didn't deserve it. Robin, my idol, role model and hero. Even Terra…someone I hadn't expected to find a friend in."

Raven looked straight into the mirror, finding Beast Boy's eyes. "Beast Boy…I know you're the one watching this. I know that you've come to help me, because that's what you do." She half smiled, "Dumb enough to try anything, right? I wish I had the time to make up for my mistakes…all those things I said and did to you…"

She hung her head, and Beast Boy stared into the glass, ignoring how tight his breathing had gotten. Her image began to get misty, and he dashed away the water that was filling his eyes. He couldn't waste her final moments by crying. "Please, Beast Boy, you have to do one final thing for me. Don't come after me. Please, just do as I've asked and destroy this mirror. Trap the revenants." She looked back up and Beast Boy could see the tears welling in her eyes, "I may have saved the world by trapping these things, but I did it for you. Please, don't come here and make it all worthless. I need to know you'll be okay. Don't come." Her lip trembled, "Beast Boy, I lo-"

A wail broke through her words. He nearly dropped the glass in fear – it was like nothing he had ever heard before. All the anger, the pain, the hunger in any world and dimension was trapped within that scream. And more joined in, more voices to this chorus of nightmares. Beast Boy watched as Raven turned, her hands raised and covered in her dark energy. There was nothing on her face but pure determination. She knew what was going to happen to her, and she was continuing to fight. A figure leapt on her and Beast Boy heard her scream.

"RAVEN!" He yelled, on his feet without knowing it. The glass now only reflected his own image – terrified and angry and helpless. He sank back down on the bed, "Raven…"

"Beast Boy…?"

He looked up mechanically at the sound of his name. Starfire, Robin, Terra and Cyborg stood at Raven's door. He hadn't even heard it open. Starfire and Terra both had tears rolling down their faces. Robin was pale, his head hanging weakly. Cyborg was holding onto the doorframe, a few wet trails lining his face as well. Beast Boy turned his gaze onto the mirror, but it was dull now, reflecting him as if he was washed out.

"So you heard all that?" He asked, not recognizing his own voice.

Robin nodded, "Yeah. She's going to give her life to trap the revenants forever."

"We won't get rid of anything," Cyborg said, looking around her room, "we'll always remember her here.

Terra moved towards a small duffel bag on Raven's floor, searching through it. They must have been her things from the student housing. Terra finally pulled out a small box. Carefully she brought it over to Beast Boy. "She…she found this for you. She hoped you would like it…"

Beast Boy took the box, not really wanting to open it. He did so anyway. Inside, there was a bunch of black tissue paper. He reached in, his fingers touching something hard and cold. He pulled it out carefully.

A small green tiger rested in his hand, made out of glass and jade. It looked exactly like his tiger form, right down to the eyes. She had seen the animal in him and had accepted it, along with everything else he was. He stared at it, and then suddenly, Beast Boy was angry.

"No."

Terra frowned, "What?"

"I said no!" He put the tiger back in the box, "I won't let her go this easily!"

"But the revenants will destroy everything if we bring Raven's mind back." Starfire said, her hands clutched at her neck.

"Then I'll just go to her mind." Beast Boy said, lifting the mirror.

Cyborg and Robin both stepped over to him, taking the mirror away before he could stop them.

"We've already talked about this. You heard that scream, Beast Boy…there may not be anything left for you to save."

"And what would it accomplish if you went there, B? You would both be trapped. Her mind is the only thing holding them in there." Cyborg tried to keep his voice calm.

Beast Boy growled, "And you're just giving up on her? There are options!"

"What, B? What could we do? I'm willing to try anything to save her!" Cyborg yelled, his eye watering once more.

"A computer program." Terra suddenly said, her eyes widening.

Everyone turned to her, "What?"

She flushed, "Mind uploading. Creating a replica of someone's mind and uploading it to a computer. Maybe, if we could do that to Raven's mind, we could trap the revenants, but separately from her. A computer is like a mind, so they could remain trapped in there forever. An endless loop."

"That…" Cyborg paused, his brain working as quickly as he could, "scanning the mind and uploading it…we could make a perfect copy of her mind…trap the revenants there instead of her real mind."

"How would we move the revenants from her real mind to the computer?" Starfire asked.

Beast Boy jumped, "Her astral projectiles!"

"Projections." Robin corrected.

"She could project herself and the revenants into the computer and then herself out of there!" He continued as if no one had spoken. "That's how she trapped them in the first place."

"How would she be notified of these plans?" Starfire was more serious than anyone had ever seen her.

Beast Boy looked to the mirror, "I'll go to her."

"We don't even know if she's still alive in there." Robin said, staring at the small looking glass as well.

"If she is, I'll find her."

"And if she isn't, we'll lose a second member of this team."

"She's not gone." Beast Boy said, teeth clenched against Robin's pessimism.

"She might be, Beast Boy and if you go in there-" Robin began.

Beast Boy turned, grabbing Robin by his cape, "I have to go after her! I can't let go if there's even the slightest chance she's still alive! Would you give up if it was Starfire?"

"Beast Boy, I love Star-"

"AND I LOVE RAVEN!" He screamed out the words he had barely dared to think, letting them all know why he had been so lost, so withdrawn. "I didn't just lose a friend…she feels the same way…she sent me everything in the moment she trapped the revenants. Everything she felt, everything she had hoped. I never even got a chance to tell her." He looked up into Robin's shocked face, "I need to tell her. To find her."

The boy wonder became serious, "And if you become trapped in there as well?"

"It'll be worth it, knowing that I tried everything for her."

Terra hid a small smile, looking out of place on her tear-strewn cheeks.

"You're serious, B?" Cyborg asked, putting the mirror back on Raven's nightstand.

"Of course I am." Beast Boy snapped.

"Then I only ask for one thing. You wait until we get a proper scan for Raven's brain before you go in."

He didn't want to wait at all. But he understood. "Provided you start now."

"Right now." Cyborg nodded, heading to the infirmary.

The girls followed him, ready to help out in whatever way they could.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Robin asked, looking at the bookcases in Raven's room, not meeting Beast Boy's eyes.

"I'm positive." The changeling said, without hesitation.

Robin just nodded, getting ready to head to the door.

"Answer me something, Robin."

He paused, not looking back at Beast Boy.

"Why did you let her stay out there, even after she told you that she thought he knew?" Beast Boy asked the question that had been bothering him for so long.

Robin turned, something dark in his eyes. "I didn't think that-"

"You didn't think, Robin." Beast Boy interrupted, his voice completely calm. "Or, you were thinking that by leaving Raven out there, maybe you'd get a shot at Slade. She'd lure him out into the open."

"I would never use a teammate like-" Robin tried, angry.

"Maybe you didn't actually think it. You're not like that. But maybe you overlooked the obvious without meaning to." Beast Boy was surprised at how he remained so composed while saying all of this. "We all know how you are…were about Slade."

"I mean," Beast Boy lost a bit of his composure and his voice rose, "it wasn't like it was a foolproof plan, but we knew that going in. But when he said that to her…when she told you that he knew it was her. When _Raven_ expressed concern about her safety. You brushed it off, though you said you wouldn't."

"Beast Boy, I didn't…I wouldn't…" Robin trailed off.

"Whether or not you meant it, you did it." Beast Boy.

Robin looked up, the mask not quite hiding the blame that lay in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Beast Boy. I didn't…I don't…"

"I'm not mad, Robin. I know why you did what you did. I don't want your apologies. I just wanted to know why." The changeling said, looking at the mirror.

"Slade…he was a constant threat. I wake up in the middle of the night, convinced he's attacking. Even when he's been gone for a while, I'm always on edge…any moment he could come waltzing out and hurt one of us." Robin took a breath. "The thought of him hurting Raven or you or Star…"

"I would never use Raven like that." Robin said, his voice changing suddenly, from a quiet fear to anger. "But at the same time, it looks like I did."

"He's gone now." Beast Boy said. "Slade's gone."

"I know." Robin shuddered slightly. "Believe me, I know."

"He's dead."

Robin nodded, "Yes."

"He died during your fight." He was careful to phrase it that way.

"He fell. I tried to catch him, but he…"

Beast Boy grasped Robin's shoulder. "We're all safe from him now, thanks to you."

"Yeah. We're safe from _him_." Robin said, looking away.

Beast Boy shook him gently. "You're a good leader, Robin. Slade just…got you a little distracted. You're a good Titan."

Robin didn't move for a moment, his shoulder tense beneath Beast Boy's claws.

"You've changed." The boy wonder finally said.

Beast Boy shrugged. "Yeah."

"Because of Raven?"

"I don't feel changed. Just like…what I have to say is more important. Because she listens to me." Beast Boy resisted the urge to shrug again.

"You're going to bring her back." Robin said, certain.

Beast Boy didn't manage a complete smile, but a small one was there on his face. The two Titans, on the same team, yet so completely different, left the room of their friend. Beast Boy looked back into it as they walked into the hallway, confidence settling nicely into him.

"Yeah. I am."


	25. Phthalo

A/N:

Thanks for all being so patient with me in waiting for updates. As thanks, I give you the final chapters. :)

~EmeraldsAndDaggers

* * *

"Weird."

"Is that really what it looks like?"

"Mine doesn't."

"Of course it does, all of ours look like that."

"Well, maybe not _exactly_ like that."

"Yeah, yours is probably pretty empty, right B?"

Beast Boy scoffed, but didn't come up with a reply, too busy staring at the computer screen. A complete scan of Raven's brain was up there, fascinating and slightly odd to think about. But still, he looked on it with excitement.

It was two days after Raven's message in the mirror…well, barely two days. It was just past midnight now. The time from then to now had been excruciating for Beast Boy. To have a solution, but have to wait to put it into action? It was torturous.

He had bothered Cyborg so much that he had been banned from the infirmary, which was made all the worse because that's where Raven was. He spent most of the time just outside the infirmary, waiting. Whenever Cyborg had to leave the room to grab something, food, materials, a drink, Beast Boy would run in and just check up on her.

Her heart had remained constant and her breathing, while shallow, never faltered. But she was lying flat on the mattress, which bothered him. There wasn't even the slightest tint of blue to show him that she was healing herself. She was just…there.

"Now look at the computer program." Cyborg said, opening another screen.

It was silent as the others stared at it.

"It looks…" Starfire said, tilting her head.

"Well done." Robin said, a slight frown between his eyes.

Terra just stared at it.

Beast Boy sighed, "Dude, I have no idea what I'm looking at."

Cyborg sighed, "It's…you know what, forget it. This is Raven's mind, just digitized. I've quadruple-checked it. It's perfect."

Beast Boy looked up, "So that means…?"

"It's time, green bean."

He went to immediately grab the mirror, but Robin stopped him.

"Just a second."

Beast Boy growled. Having been forced to wait for two days had put him in a sour mood. He was being pushed precariously close to the edge right now.

"You remember what needs to be done. You have to find Raven, tell-"

"Tell her about the program, get her to project the revenants into it, and then get me out of her head. I've got it."

"And if the worst should-"

"There's a will in my room." Beast Boy interrupted again, impatient.

"There will be no need for that." Starfire said, looking concerned.

"Of course, it there was," Cyborg's grin was only slightly forced, "we wouldn't be able to find it in his room."

"We want both of you home." Robin said.

Starfire hugged him tightly, making him wheeze. "Return to us, with Raven."

She released him and he rubbed his ribs, "Will do."

He looked to the blonde. Hard to imagine that at the beginning of all this, he had never wanted to see her again. Now, well, he was glad to have a friend back.

"Good luck." She said.

He attempted a smile, eager and worried about what Nevermore might hold for him. "I'm gonna need all the luck I can get."

Beast Boy reached for the mirror; no one stopped him this time. He took a breath and looked into it, waiting for the giant claw to come out and grab him and bring him in…

Any minute now.

He glared into the mirror. "What the heck?"

Everyone stared at him, clearly not having expected this.

"Dammit, Raven. Let me in!" He shouted at the glass.

"Beast Boy…" Robin tried.

"Wait, I know!" The changeling said, "Her words! Azarath-"

"Maybe you shouldn't-"

"Metrion."

"Beast Boy, wait a-"

"Zinthos!"

There was an explosion from the mirror, covering everything in Raven's black magiks. Beast Boy's palms and fingers, everything that touched the mirror, began to burn with the most freezing cold he had ever felt. Every instinct he had screamed at him to drop it, but he clenched his jaw and held on.

A pressure built up in the infirmary, pressing on their eardrums and piercing through their heads. In the tornado of power that whipped through the room, Beast Boy saw Terra and Starfire fall to their knees, clutching their heads and squeezing their eyes shut. It certainly hurt, but Beast Boy locked his knees and remained still.

Cyborg stood in front of the monitors and wires that connected to Raven, keeping them from rattling about too much. Robin was by Raven's head, knocking the flying debris away from her. Beast Boy knew that Robin wouldn't let anything happen.

The pressure kept building, painfully worming its way through Beast Boy, making his very bones ache. He shut his eyes, wildly wondering if his eardrums would explode. It just kept building and building.

With the most insignificant _pop_, the pressure relented and all the dark magiks went flying back into the mirror, as if it was a vacuum. After a mere moment, everything was calm once more. They had retreated back into the mirror, which was now lying on the floor.

Beast Boy was nowhere to be found.

* * *

Beast Boy fell onto the ground hard, losing his breath for a moment. He looked up. He was on the same stone that he and Cyborg had landed on years ago. It seemed like so long ago. It didn't look the same. He pulled himself to his feet with a groan, his lungs aching a bit.

The rocks around him were pitted and broken, some completely shattered and just fragments, hanging in the air. Beast Boy hurried down the path that formed in front of him, avoiding the more broken stones. He hurried towards the first arch – the one that would lead him to the meadows. Jumping through it, he didn't pause his running, though usually the shock would have sent him to the ground.

The meadow was burnt, small fires still chewing happily up the trees. It looked as if Hell had come to Raven's mind, destroying everything. He ran, but tripped over his feet a few times as he tried to look around. The sky swirled with grey and black clouds, sinister lightning crackling through them, without the thunder to accompany it. Giant chunks of the ground had been ripped up and thrown hundreds of feet away. Had it been Raven or the revenants that did that? A huge part of the path had been torn up and Beast Boy ran around the edge, looking down into the hole.

A wail made the hairs on his neck stand up. The revenants. It grew louder, a cacophony of pain. Beast Boy ran away from the noise, praying he found Raven soon. Suddenly, something tripped him, and he flew headfirst into the ground, skidding on his shoulder and looking behind him.

It was one of them. One of the revenants. They had only been shadows when they had been released, but now…he gulped against the nausea, shaking as he got to his feet.

It was like a corpse, parts of its skin falling away from the body, bone showing through. Its hands and feet faded into a sickly grey mist so it hovered above the ground. But it was the face that drew Beast Boy's gaze. There were no eyes. Just hollow sockets; but instead of being empty, there were small fires burning in place of eyes. Beast Boy didn't look directly in, knowing that he would see the part of the Devil's power that went into creating these things. Its jaw hung open, slack, but with a long tongue that lolled out from between the sharpened teeth. It lurched towards him, and Beast Boy stumbled back, transforming into a cheetah as he ran, praying he was faster than the revenant.

He ran and he ran, but every time he looked back, the creature was right behind him. There was an odd pressure on his tail, followed by a pain, he looked back, seeing that a good three inches of his tail was completely gone, and blood dribbled down the revenant's gaping maw. Beast Boy roared in frustration, pushing himself faster. A new thought occurred to him and he jumped as high as he could, transforming into a falcon and flying high away from the revenant. He looked down as the revenant stared up at him blankly. Letting out a screech of relief, he started flying over the meadow, searching for Raven.

An odd noise behind him made him look back. He nearly fell out of his form in shock – the revenant had lifted itself into the air to pursue him. Beast Boy flew harder, knowing that he could outrun this thing. He tried diving and spiraling, evading and flying higher, but the revenant stayed right behind him. Beast Boy dove as low as he could, only throwing his wings out at the last second from collision. He looked behind him, but the revenant was nowhere in sight. Relieved, he turned-

-to see the revenant directly in front of him. With a yell, Beast Boy morphed into himself, trying to turn in time to escape its grasp. A hand on his shoulder kept him from moving and Beast Boy slowly got dragged back. He turned, trying to fight against its grip. But he couldn't even morph anymore – he was weak, so weak. So tired. He was fighting to keep his eyes open and was slowly growing colder. He could feel its other hand on his arm, tugging him nearer still. Beast Boy was so close that he could smell its putrid flesh, feel the cold from its skin. He tried to fight, but he couldn't…he couldn't…

A yell surprised both him and the revenant. It dropped Beast Boy to the ground, turning to face this new threat. Brave was suddenly there, fighting the revenant back.

"Come on." A small voice whispered. Beast Boy looked up into Timid's eyes, blinking away the shadows that had begun to grow on the edge of his vision. "Please, get up." She tried to lift him, but she was weak, too. Beast Boy noticed burn marks on her cloak and skin and a gray bandage was wrapped around her arm. He struggled to his feet, slowly and with help from Timid.

Together, they staggered away from the battle, hearing it grow more vicious behind them.

"What about Brave?" He managed to ask, feeling better the further away from the revenant they got.

"She'll just fade away when she can't fight any longer." Timid said, searching the fires around them.

Beast Boy's eyes closed for a second, but then he opened them in shock, "Raven, where's Raven?"

"We have her." Timid said, but her voice grew even quieter.

"Is she…is she all right?" Beast Boy whispered. She couldn't be dead, because her emotions were still here, but she could be injured, badly.

Timid shook her head, "She hasn't got much time left."

"But we can save her. Save you all!" Beast Boy said, able to walk without her assistance now.

"You can't." Timid said, shaking her head as she continued to lead Beast Boy.

Beast Boy put a hand on her shoulder, "We can. We've found a way. We're going to trap the revenants into a computer version of Raven's mind, leaving her free to wake up."

Timid's eyes grew wider, "You can do that?"

"All we need is for Raven to create one of her astral projections and bring the revenants into the computer. Then she'll be free. You'll all be free."

Timid shook her head, "You shouldn't have come here, Beast Boy."

"I had to." Beast Boy said, trying to get her to look a bit more hopeful.

"You need Raven for this to work, and Raven…" Timid trailed off.

"What's wrong with her?"

Timid just led him around a few small boulders. He found himself in a tiny clearing, less decimated than the rest of Nevermore. All of Raven's emotions were there. Rage and Affection, tending to Brave's injuries; Timid went right to Rude's side at the edge of the boulders and helped Happy to eat something; Wisdom and Knowledge pouring over a few books they had; and two emotions Beast Boy didn't recognize – one was in black and looking very weak, and the other was in the brightest emerald green cloak he had ever seen. They were tending to Raven. The real Raven.

He moved to her side quickly, ignoring the looks of her emotions. He knelt by her side and took her hand. Biting his cheek until it drew blood, he looked at her.

She was beaten. Badly. Every inch of her skin was covered in bruises, burns or bites. She was drained of what little color she had. Her cloak was a tattered mess, ripped and binding more serious injuries. Her eyes were closed, but the dark shadows beneath them stuck out. Her breathing was incredibly shallow. He tried to warm her hand in his, but her skin just seemed to reject the heat, refusing to warm at all.

"What…?"

"The revenants." Wisdom said, approaching them. "They attacked her…we managed to pull her away but, they're feeding on her soul."

"How? She's not near them." Beast Boy asked, not even looking at any of the other emotions.

"You felt better the further you moved away from them." Timid said, her hands shaking. "But they're in Raven's mind. She can't get away from them. They're in her."

"How is she here? I mean, she's out there, unconscious. But she's also here." Beast Boy stumbled through the question.

"The Raven out there is nothing but a shell." Knowledge said. "There is nothing in her head except basic brainwaves to keep her heart beating and breathing. This Raven," she motioned to the one next to Beast Boy, "this is everything that Raven is. She's similar in form to us. But this is the real Raven."

Beast Boy stared down at her, "We have to wake her up. We can get you all out of here and safe. I just…she needs to wake up. It's all ready."

"You came here for nothing." Rage said from Brave's side. Her hands were covered in blood.

Beast Boy glared at Raven's emotion, "No. I came here for her."

"Then you'll die with her." Rage replied.

"I don't care."

Rage snorted, "You're thick. Coming here in a last ditch attempt to save the world and-"

"I'm not here for the world. I'm here for her." He looked up, clarifying, "For you. I don't care what happens to me, or to anything else. I just want her to be okay."

Rage fell silent and the emerald green Raven began to shine even brighter.

He looked at her for a moment, before staring back at his Raven, "So who are you? Both of you." He nodded to the black Raven without looking.

"Hope." The dark one said. She sounded quite weak.

"She's lost her hope, huh?" Beast Boy asked.

The black robed girl nodded. "Most of it, anyway."

"And you?" He asked the emerald cloak.

She just smiled shyly, "Do you not know?"

He looked at her color, "Love?"

"Or something close to it." She nodded.

He stared at Raven; she loved him? He knew he loved her – what other reason would he risk everything to be with her here? But Raven actually loved him? He smiled, just a tiny bit.

"So, what are our options?" He said, his voice stronger.

"We have no options, I told you!" Rage stood, yelling.

Beast Boy glared at her, "I'm not asking you. And from now on, if you can't say something useful, just stay quiet. I'm here to save you, whether you like it or not. So shut up and deal."

Rage sputtered, looking lost. The other emotions smiled a bit, looking slightly more hopeful. Speaking of Hope, she began to glow, just the tiniest bit of blue.

"Wisdom, Knowledge, talk to me." He said, never releasing Raven's hand.

"W-We…we don't know." Knowledge said, looking thoroughly upset at not knowing.

"What would you do if Raven was awake?" Beast Boy asked.

Wisdom thought, looking through the books, "In accordance with your plan, we'd probably join with Raven and create the astral projection."

"Can you join with me?" He questioned.

"I…I don't know." Wisdom said.

He looked down at her again, "Would it hurt her? All of you joining with me?"

"I don't believe so. It's you that I'm concerned about." Knowledge said. "Raven is used to us…accustomed to her powers and how we enhance them. But you…it could kill you."

"How would we make an astral projection?" Beast Boy was already counting on them joining with him, regardless of the risk.

"We could do that…you would be more of a…host." Wisdom said. "We would filter Raven's power through you and then form it properly to create a projection."

"Could you get me out of her mind once everything is done?"

"I believe so." Wisdom thought, "You would be returned here once the revenants were gone…then we would be able to recover. It would be simple to return you once everyone is recovered."

"So, the revenants." Beast Boy said, waiting for their input.

"We'd need to have them all in one place." Affection said, her eyes lighting up a bit.

He nearly smiled at her. He had missed that look. Even though these were all parts of Raven, he still didn't feel like they were _his_ Raven. Not that he would ever call her that out loud. She might have something to say about that.

"How many are there now?" Beast Boy asked.

"Seven." Wisdom answered.

His mind worked rapidly. Robin had the head for tactics, not him. But he thought hard about it. And suddenly, he smiled.


	26. Emerald

Beast Boy grinned at Raven's emotions.

"You are clinically insane." Rage said, glaring at him.

"But it'll work."

"You'll die!" Timid said, her hands shaking as she looked at him.

"I mean…" Knowledge said, clearly not comfortable saying this, "conceivably, it _could_ work."

"There we go." Beast Boy said, excited and nervous. "Come on. Green," he said, addressing the emerald cloaked Raven. He wasn't entirely comfortable calling her by the emotion she might be. "You know this will work."

"I think…" She smiled widely, "I think if anyone can make this work, it'll be you."

"That's the spirit. Now," he nearly laughed, "pull yourselves together and I'll be right back."

"Lame." Mumbled Rude through split lips.

"Be careful." Affection said, helping to get Happy to her feet.

Beast Boy nodded, kneeling next to Raven. "We're gonna get out of here, you and me." He whispered quietly, dropping a light kiss on her forehead.

He stood, brushing off his pants. This was going to be dangerous. He took a moment to gather his courage. All it took was another look down at Raven to strengthen him for what he was about to do. "All right. I'll be right back, ladies." He said, jumping and morphing into medium sized bird, known as a spine-tailed swift.

"If you splatter on the ground, don't come crying to me!" Rage shouted after him, though she couldn't quiet hide the light tinge of worry in her tone.

He climbed higher and higher into the sky, his eyes focused on the never-ending horizon. The clouds loomed above him, angry and spiteful, but he flew into them, above them, finding clear skies beyond. He wasn't going far horizontally. In fact, Raven and her emotions were almost directly beneath him. That was essential. His wings began to hurt a bit. When he climbed to a very respectable height, one that he wasn't sure he could achieve in reality, he hovered there for a minute, catching his bearings.

The next part is the one bit he was a little concerned about. Well, he was concerned about a lot of bits of this plan, but this was probably the most worrisome at the moment. He held his breath, morphing mid-air into an animal that was undeniably not meant to fly.

A green howler monkey began to plummet back to the unyielding ground of Raven's mind. He had no doubt that if he died here, it'd be for real, so he sucked in a breath into his lungs and then-

Beast Boy _howled_.

It's been said that a howler monkey can be heard from ten miles away. Beast Boy wasn't sure if Raven's mind could be measured in miles, but he figured it would get the point across.

He morphed into the swift again, climbing even higher than before. He knew they were coming after him. He could feel it. That encroaching darkness, the numbing coldness…it grew nearer with every flap of his wings.

Casting a look down, a break in the clouds showed the emotions gathered together. They were ready. Now they just had to wait for his big arrival.

_Come on_, he thought, tense as he kept climbing, _come and get me!_

And then he saw them.

They flew over the horizon at him, the desiccated nightmares. Three were coming from the left, two from behind him, and two from in front of him. Beast Boy hadn't been sure if they would all come, but it appears that the sound of something living and breathing was too big a draw. Perfect.

Suddenly, one of them slowed, stopped and began floating in mid-air.

_Dammit_! He thought, torn as the other six kept coming towards him. He needed all seven! Letting out a screech, he flew at the one who hesitated. He flew near enough for the revenant to almost touch him, and it certainly tried to. It took him a little further away from his mark on the ground, but it was worth it to make sure all the revenants were into the chase.

Sufficiently baited, the revenant came after him, trying to corner him among the other monsters.

If he could have, Beast Boy would have grinned. The revenants were blocking every way out but one. The one route he needed.

He morphed into another kind of bird now, aiming towards Raven and her emotions, plummeting at a speed that even the revenants couldn't top. Peregrine falcons were the fastest things on earth when they were diving.

And boy, was Beast Boy putting that record to the test right now.

He was like a green lightning bolt, heading towards the ground with reckless abandon. He plunged through the clouds, leaving a faint trail in them, never once thinking about being struck by the lightning that crackled around him. Despite the creatures chasing after him, despite the danger that he knew still lay before him, Beast Boy couldn't help but feel a rush. He really did love flying.

Beast Boy blinked, and the ground was suddenly much closer. He threw out his wings, feeling his talons actually scrape across the ground as he glided in at an alarming speed. The revenants followed him across the pitted earth, closing in now that he didn't have the speed of his dive on his side. But it didn't matter. He was fast coming up on his mark now.

Too fast!

Not having another option, he did what he needed to do. Beast Boy morphed into his natural form, covering his head with his arms as he crashed painfully into the ground and rolled several yards. He felt several somethings snap, but there wasn't time for the pain to take effect. Not yet. He landed on his back, winded and dazed.

"Now, Beast Boy!" He heard an emotion yell from nearby.

He opened his eyes, shock keeping him from feeling anything. Miraculously, he had landed where he needed to.

Right next to Raven.

He grabbed her hand, glad he didn't have to do much else now. It was all up to the girls. He turned his head, feeling a spasm of pain as he did so. They had joined in a circle, holding up those who were too weak to hold up themselves. Knowledge and Rage, the two closest to Raven, had their hands on hers.

There was a tiny sound, like a sigh, and a small cloud arose, swirling the emotions and Raven together. Beast Boy didn't let go of her hand, though it was difficult to hang on. He felt something build and he tried to keep his eyes on it.

A terrifying and undeniable silence had his head whipping back in the direction he had crash-landed in. The revenants were approaching, and they were coming up fast. Their tongues lolled out the sides of their mouth, like macabre dogs. Beast Boy shuddered, another jolt of pain going through him.

Raven's hand jumped in his, like a shock.

The revenants landed next to him, taking their time, as if they knew he had no place to go anymore. As if they knew he couldn't move.

Something lightened out of the corner of his eye and he prayed it was what he thought it was.

The revenants leaned over him, and he couldn't help but look into their eyes.

The hand grasping Raven's got warm-

He felt a coldness seep into his eyes, burning and freezing and ice-cold smoldering-

He felt something pulse through his hand and into his chest, like a shot of soothing warmness-

Beast Boy couldn't stand it anymore, he opened his mouth to scream-

But instead, out poured a protective white shadow.

He couldn't really see what was happening, but he could feel it with his mind. He rode the shadow as it took place outside of his chest, as it took the form he loved so much. He felt the revenants open their mouths in silent screams of fury, staring with their flaming, dead eyes at the pure white raven. Beast Boy felt their rage, as they tried to fight the raven off from enveloping them, but it was futile. The raven caught all seven of them, hurtling upwards, like the backwards dive of a peregrine falcon.

He rode the shadow up and up, Nevermore fading below them, until it suddenly exploded out into a bright, bright light. He saw the Titans' startled faces as the shadow poured out of their unmoving friend and hurtle into the computer waiting for it. The revenants tried to fight against their new holding cell, but it was useless. They were pulled in by the similarities it shared with Raven's brain, and in their moment of hesitation, the raven receded, leaving them trapped in a harmless computer program. The raven flew back into Raven's body, leaving the Titans behind, shocked and hopeful.

He was suddenly back in Nevermore, sprawled out on his back, his eyes wide open. The hand in his began to cool, reverting back to a normal temperature. His head rolled over towards Raven, but looked beyond her.

Nevermore had changed back. It was once again as he had seen it the first time. Rolling meadows, with strange arches along the path. It was no longer decimated, but whole and restored.

Raven's hand began to feel light in his and he focused on her, or rather, tried to.

Her white-robed form was fading, but Beast Boy wasn't concerned. He knew that she was just returning to her body, like she should. She'd wake up soon and come for him and everything…everything would be all right.

She was gone now, leaving Beast Boy alone in Nevermore. Her emotions were probably being restored and healed right now, so they wouldn't be back for a bit. He was all on his own.

His eyes found the clear skies above him, the only clouds being light and completely not-evil. Beast Boy smiled weakly, he had done it. Raven and Nevermore were saved, the revenants trapped forever, and the Titans on their way to being together once again. The world was saved. And he was going to get the girl. Well, get the girl back. Not a bad way to wrap up the day.

Beast Boy sighed, feeling exhausted. He didn't know what was broken, and at the moment, he really didn't care. He was just so relieved. Everything was right and everyone was okay.

His eyes looked around, not turning his head, but not wanting to be caught saying what he was about to say. It was appropriate of course, but not really his thing. He figured no one would ever find out, but he whispered it anyway. Just in case. His eyes slipped closed as he sighed out the words.

"Boo yah."

* * *

Cyborg jumped as Raven sat straight up in her bed, the knowledge of everything that had happened pouring into her. Her emotions were telling her everything, and it was a little overwhelming. Still, the most important thing was first on her lips.

"Beast Boy?"

"Raven!" Starfire yelled, already in the air to hug her.

Raven dodged her arms, finding Robin's eyes, "Beast Boy?"

"Still in Nevermore." Robin said, too shocked to not answer. "He did it? You're okay?"

"He-" Raven suddenly stopped, squeezing her eyes shut. With the rush of everything, the return to her mind, the knowledge of what happened, the sudden light feeling that meant she had regained her powers, the worst of all headaches plagued her head. She groaned and fell back, clutching both sides of her splitting head.

"Raven?" Starfire asked.

The empath flinched as Starfire's naturally high voice pierced right to her spine.

"Headache." She whispered, unable to speak much louder.

She heard someone get up and walk across the room, she felt the footsteps like a kick to her head. There was a small _click_, and the infirmary was plunged into near complete darkness. She didn't open her eyes, but it relieved the pain, just a bit. Water began to run and there was the sound of a bottle rattling.

Two tiny pills were pushed into her hand, and her other hand was wrapped around a glass. "Take these." Cyborg said. His lower octave voice didn't grate against her like Starfire's had. Raven gratefully swallowed the medicine, draining the water. She had more than enough power to heal herself, but she would have to wait for her headache to fade a bit in order to concentrate long enough to do so. This had happened before.

"Tell me what's been happening." Raven whispered into the darkness.

"Where's Beast Boy?" Robin asked.

Raven felt her stomach clench, "He's still in my head. He's very wounded, but I can't get to him until this headache is gone. Please, someone tell me what's been happening."

"After you trapped the revenants-"

Raven grimaced, "Star, no offense, but can someone else tell me?"

"You trapped the revenants and went comatose." Cyborg stepped up, talking lowly. "Me, Star and B brought you back here. Rob went after Slade."

She frowned, asking a silent question.

"He's gone. Dead." Robin said quietly. She could feel the turmoil in his head, but would have to deal with it later.

"You were fine…except you wouldn't wake up." Cyborg continued. "There was a point…your heart just stopped. B kept you alive, and Star shocked you back to us. It was…" He trailed off for a moment. Raven reached out and touched the big man's hand, without having to see where it was. He squeezed it gently and then cleared his throat. "Everyone was pretty upset. A bunch of students came out here for you, your housemates came to visit."

"How did they…?"

"I told them." Terra made an effort to keep her voice low and quiet. "You deserved to have them know the truth."

Raven nodded, not knowing if they could see her.

"One of the guys talked to B-"

"Timotei." Terra supplied.

"-And B got a little upset. He took off into your room and got your mirror. We all heard the message you left."

Raven flushed, glad that it was dark.

"B got really angry then, and was going to go after you then and there, but we stopped him. We didn't have any sort of plan. Then Terra suggested mind uploading…so we got him to wait until we had a proper replica of your brain, though he wasn't happy about it. As soon as it was ready, which took a little more than a day, he went in after you." Cyborg finished.

"Do you know what happened when he got there?" Robin asked.

Raven nodded, able to open her eyes without the stabbing pains. She suffered from pretty debilitating migraines, so they always had the absolute top of the line medicine to stop them. She had never been so grateful for it. Only a few more minutes and she'd be able to go in after Beast Boy. "I know. He had a run in with one of the revenants, but my emotions intervened and saved him. They brought him to the others and to me. They told him that he shouldn't have come, but he refused to give up." She wasn't about to mention the emotion he had discovered in her head. They didn't need to know about that.

"He decided that he would become a host for my powers…my emotions would work through him to create a projection that would catch the revenants and transfer them to the computer. He had to get all of them in one place though, so he came up with a rather foolish plan for that."

She explained how he had used his animal forms to bait the revenants into following him back to where her emotions were. How he got injured in the process. Then she told them how they joined with her and then worked through Beast Boy to create an astral projection and get the revenants out.

"Wow." Robin said. "I didn't know he was so…"

"Crazy." Cyborg said.

"I was going to say clever." Robin replied. "He did it."

"He did it." Raven repeated. She tooka deep breath and closed her eyes, finally able to concentrate long enough to rid herself of her headache. She sighed when she was done, sitting up straighter in her bed. She glanced around the darkened room, finding her mirror next to her hospital bed. She grabbed it, holding it in her hands.

"Wait, Rae, you should really rest more before-" Cyborg tried.

She didn't look at him, "Beast Boy is still hurt in there. I have to get him out." She whispered her mantra, still reeling from everything that had happened.

As she fell into her mind, she heard Cyborg mutter, "She listens as well as her boyfriend."

Raven smiled, landing gracefully in the meadows. Everything was back to the way it was. Her mind had nearly been destroyed by the revenants, but once they were gone, it was easy enough to recover. There would be scars, of course, but nothing physical.

She found Beast Boy easily, lying on the grass. She stared down at him, her heart clenched, seeing where his bones were unnaturally skewed. It would take some time to heal him. Raven couldn't believe how much he had gone through, just for her. No one had ever cared for her like he does.

Raven knelt next to Beast Boy, touching his forehead. He wasn't running a fever, he was just a little broken. He was breathing shallowly, not conscious. She needed to get him out.

She knew that her emotion was there before she spoke.

"He loves you."

Raven stood and faced her emerald clad self. She wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"You love him, too."

"I think I should be the one to tell him that." Raven said, unable to deny it.

Love smiled at Raven's unspoken admission. "You should. He took quite the beating for you."

Raven looked down at Beast Boy again, her heart clenching as she saw his injuries for her once more. She began to prepare herself for her return trip. "Yeah, he did. I have to get him back."

"Good luck. And Raven?" Love said, still smiling widely.

"What?"

"Green's a great color on you."

Much to the shock of Love and of herself, Raven laughed.

"It really, really is." Raven said, taking Beast Boy and her home.

With the duo's appearance, the Titans were thrown into a fit of unsuccessfully smothered jubilation and concern. The lights had been turned on once more, waiting for them.

"Is he going to be all right?" Starfire asked, hugging Raven at the same time.

Terra was just laughing quietly, her eyes watering on seeing both her friends returned.

"Everyone has to stop leaving this dimension, right now!" Cyborg yelled.

Raven levitated Beast Boy onto the bed that had, until recently, been hers. She spoke as she healed him, her powers flowing easily and almost without her aid. The others knew enough not to speak as her hands began to glow blue and she placed them over various places on Beast Boy's body.

After a broken clavicle, dislocated and fractured shoulder, small concussion, three broken fingers and a fractured cheekbone, Beast Boy was healed. Raven ignored the echoes of pain as his fingers twitched. The Titans waited in silence as he began to stir.

"Dude…what happe-" He mumbled.

_SMACK_!

Beast Boy was wide awake, glaring at Raven as she hauled her hand back again to slap him again. He dodged it, clearly confused.

"Rae! What are you doing?" He yelled at her.

"You are the most insufferable, annoying, stubborn, disobedient person in the world!" She yelled at him. The relief at having him awake, combined with the fear of the past few days, was finally exploding from her.

Vaguely, she heard Cyborg laugh and usher the others out of the room, "We might want to go…"

As the door shut behind them, Raven began pacing. "I specifically told you not to come after me! And what did you do?"

"I came after you, Raven." He hopped off the bed, testing his limbs and finding no pain. "Did you heal me?"

"Of course I healed you! You nearly died." She said, stopping her pacing and staring at him.

"Rae-" He tried.

"Do you know what could have happened?" She asked him, her voice dropping in volume suddenly, making his ears prick up.

"The revenants could have gotten out. The world could have ended. Yeah, I know." His voice sounded so comforting. Like she hadn't heard it in a long, long time.

"Aside from all that." She said. Her hands were shaking and she wished for her cloak to hide them in. "You could have died, Beast Boy."

"Yup." He grinned, stepping closer.

Raven was boxed in on the far side of the bed, farthest away from the door. "That makes you happy?"

"The fact that I didn't makes me happy. But not nearly as happy as having you back." His face was completely open, the aforementioned happiness radiating off of him like a small sun. The happiness fought with another color for dominance. She tried not to stare, but it was impossible.

"Why'd you do it?" She asked, not realizing how quiet her voice had gotten.

"Because," he moved even closer as he talked, "Rachel Roth and Raven of the Teen Titans, I am totally and completely emerald for you."

With those words, his aura grew even stronger, if possible.

He was mere inches from her now, the color of his eyes matching the shade of green that burned from him. She swallowed nervously, never having felt such strong emotion from anyone in her life.

"Beast Boy?" She said.

His attention darted between her eyes and her mouth, "Yeah?"

She took a small breath, not knowing where the heck the sudden confidence was coming from.

"I think I'm emerald for you too."

Beast Boy dipped his head down and kissed her, his hands wrapping around her waist tightly. He spun her around, his mouth never leaving hers. Somehow, between the spinning and kissing and hugging, Raven's arms were around his neck, holding him nearly as tightly as he held her.

They eventually broke away from one another, though the hug never ended.

"I was so scared I wasn't gonna see you again." Beast Boy said, resting his forehead on hers.

"I didn't think you would. The revenants…they…" She trailed off, not entirely ready to talk about that yet.

Beast Boy didn't comment on her unfinished sentence, though his arms tightened ever so slightly. He knew enough not to ask. "You're okay now, right?"

"I am. Really." She had a thought and pulled away slightly.

"What's wrong?" He asked, unwilling to let her go.

She touched his wrist, reassuring him, "I just need to do something." She walked over to the computer, ejecting a single disc. It was hard to believe that not only was there an exact copy of her mind written to this disc but also the most deadly creatures in all the universes. Never wanting either one of those things to get out to anyone, she took the disc in her hands and snapped it in two.

Beast Boy just watched, not asking what she was doing, not telling her to stop. He just trusted her to do what was right.

"They're gone." She said simply.

"And we're still here." Beast Boy said, having a seat on the bed.

Raven looked at him, and then shook her head, sitting on the floor.

"What are you doing?" He asked, laughing.

"I don't think I'm ready to be sitting up there."

"Why not?"

"Like you said, I think we need to practice on the floor first." She was proud that only a bit of a blush crossed her face.

He slid onto the floor, with a huge grin, sitting next to her. "The others might wonder where we are."

"Let them wonder. I'm feeling rather green, right now."

Beast Boy laughed, cupping her face in his hand. "I love you, Raven."

She kissed him, returning the sentiment without words.


	27. Epilogue

Beast Boy laughed, stepping out the door of the student housing, "We'll see you guys next week!"

"Bye, B!"

Raven was still inside, chatting with Terra.

"So, lunch on Wednesday?" Terra asked.

"Sure. Just don't bring Cassie or Natalie." Raven said.

"Believe me, those two are history. Along with Devin." Terra rolled her eyes. "Any guy who screams that high and runs off, leaving me in the dark and alone is so not worth my time."

"He did have a right to be scared." Raven tried.

"Please. He could have at least pretended to have a spine."

Raven smiled, "I'll see you on Wednesday."

Terra waved her out the door. As Raven left, Timotei yelled from the stairs, "Atât timp, erou mic!"

She waved at him, shaking her head.

Beast Boy was waiting for her outside, hand outstretched to her as they began the walk back to the Tower. She took it and they walked in comfortable silence. They could have flown, but it was nice to have a break. It had been a long day.

Early this morning had been Slade's cremation. The Titans had paid for it; none of them wanting any reminder of the enemy left. They had all attended, wanting to be sure that this chapter in their lives was closed. Raven had seen Jericho standing on the edge of the room, unnoticed by the others. She didn't say anything. Robin had enough weighing on his mind without knowing of Jericho's connection to Slade.

Raven sought out Robin before the cremation, knowing he needed to talk about it.

"It's strange." He told her. "It's like a huge weight is gone, but I feel guilty for feeling happy about it. I'm glad he's gone."

"We all are. There's no need to feel guilty. Slade caused a lot of hurt to lots of people. You didn't kill him, you even tried to save him. It's better that he's gone." Raven had told him. She knew she would sleep easier now.

Robin had smiled and thanked her for talking to him. He was different now, too. He still retained his maturity, but he smiled a bit easier now. Especially when he was around Starfire.

They were dating officially now. No one in the entire city, except Robin and Starfire, found it surprising. However, it was still the topic of much gossip. Every time the two would go out, they would eventually be asked questions by every and any magazine in the city. Though Starfire enjoyed talking about their relationship, Robin wasn't so keen. Raven had overheard him asking Cyborg for some holorings.

After the cremation, Beast Boy had taken her to the arcade, though this time, neither one of them wore a disguise. They were stirring up quite the fuss themselves with Jump City's media, though they hadn't come out and announced it to anyone other than their friends. That had been exciting enough as it is.

"You're…together." Cyborg had asked, frowning.

"I mean," Robin said, rubbing the back of his neck, "we knew how Beast Boy felt, but it's still a little weird."

"This is glorious!" Starfire squealed, speeding towards where Beast Boy and Raven were standing, hands interlocked. "We shall go on double dates and enjoy many nights of couple bonding!"

Beast Boy had smothered a laugh at the look on Raven's face. She swallowed her foreboding feeling that she would be dragged to the mall more often by both Starfire and Terra and gave a muttered, "Sure, Starfire."

Terra was back at the student housing, her room all to herself now. Raven was glad that everything was finally settled for her. She deserved to live a normal life. Or, as normal a life as anyone living in Jump City.

Once they had blown Beast Boy's change on Ghosts N' Goblins, they had spent some time in the bookstore. Beast Boy had even picked up an abridged version of one of Raven's favorites, much to her surprise.

"I can read, you know." He had said when she stared at him incredulously.

"I know. I'm just surprised you're spending your money on a real book rather than a comic book." Raven said, paying for her own new novels.

"Comics have good stories, too." He argued.

She thought for a moment. "If you read that, I'll read one of your comics."

"Seriously?"

Raven nodded and they left the bookstore. "I want to know why you like what you like. It's called making an effort."

"Does this mean you'll play video games with me every once in a while?" He asked, his emerald eyes pleading.

Raven sighed. "Maybe. But I absolutely refuse to play anything with the word 'monkey' in the title."

"Deal." He grinned, taking her hand and kissing her cheek.

Raven flushed and muttered, "Come on. We're going to be late to Mary's."

Sunday night was pasta night at Mary's, and Raven and Beast Boy were making the time to have dinner there. The attachments Raven had formed while she was there hadn't faded with the revealing of her true identity. Timotei still teased her, Mary still mothered her and Terra still joked with her. It was nice, to have these weekly breaks from crime-fighting and hang out with people who were honestly friendly.

Their path home had taken them past a few alleys. Raven took no notice of it until Beast Boy suddenly stopped and froze. His nose lifted slightly and he gave an almost inaudible growl.

Before she could ask him what was wrong, he looked at her, "You trust me?"

Raven frowned, "Of course I do. What's-"

"Be right back." He whispered and suddenly morphed into a fly. He disappeared around the corner, leaving her alone.

Confused, she kept walking down the street. Everything fell into place when a disgustingly familiar voice spoke from the shadowed alley.

"Hey there, beautiful."

Raven nearly laughed as Rick stumbled out from the alley. He was drunk, which wasn't surprising. He stared at her, unable to focus for a moment or two.

"I remember you." He slurred, stepping closer. "You've got the crazy eyes." He laughed, his breath almost noxious. "That boyfriend ever come back?"

Raven knew what Beast Boy had planned. "As a matter of fact, he did." She motioned to someone behind Rick.

Rick turned, finding a large expanse of green skin and teeth at his eye level. He blinked and stepped back. Still unable to see clearly, he took another step back.

The tyrannosaurus rex was suddenly very clear to Rick as it growled.

He squealed, trying to run away. Raven caught him with her energy easily. Beast Boy morphed back into himself, smiling.

"You knew he was there." Raven said to him as he walked back to her side.

"I knew. I figured a little innocent revenge would make you feel pretty good." He grinned at her.

She looked to where Rick hung upside down in mid-air. "It really, really does."

Raven looked at Rick, "Last time we met, I wished I could have you hanging streetlight." She raised him higher, "Let's make that a reality."

After a few minutes and a phone call to the police, Beast Boy and Raven walked away, leaving a suspended Rick behind them. They weren't quite sure how the police were going to get him down, but it didn't really bother them.

They stopped when the reached the water that separated their Tower from the city. They stood there for a few minutes, silent. Beast Boy stepped behind Raven, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. The sun had long since set, leaving the velvet sky dotted with flares of stars. The moon was heavy and low, framing the Tower almost perfectly.

"Rae?" Beast Boy asked.

"Mhmm?" Her eyes were half-closed, more comfortable than she had ever been before.

"I think I'd like to take you on another first date." Beast Boy said, nuzzling his nose into her neck.

"We had a first date." She answered.

"Yeah, but it didn't end that well. I wanna do-over." His voice was muffled against her skin.

She smiled, knowing he couldn't see it, "All right."

Raven felt him smile. "Still feeling green?" She asked.

"Absolutely. You?"

"Vibrantly." She answered.

"Good." He turned her around and kissed her thoroughly. It was slow and sweet, promising years to come. When they had finished, he pulled away. "Come on. We've got some video games to play." He grinned that fangy grin she enjoyed so much and morphed into a bird, taking off over the harbor.

Raven smiled and followed the boy she loved back home.

* * *

A/N:

And so ends my very first Fanfic ever. I hope you all enjoyed it. Many, many thanks to my reviewers:

Laarc (My first ever reviewer!)

Beyond Backup (I always loved reading your comments)

spartan585

Vermin-lord

The Cretin

RonaldWeasleyTheHero

big beast boy

Scarlet Roth

ravenheartbb4-life

Shay

Sandjewel

Vaal

winged demon wolf

AliceChii (I didn't let Raven die)

Author Penholder (Totally taking your advice and uploading everything all at once now, thanks!)

Breathe Breathe Breath ("Hell yeah"! Still makes me smile)

joseph

shoha008

Discon

Hairul the Nightrage Beast

Manny R

You guys are all awesome and I absolutely loved reading your reviews. I might not have finished if it wasn't for you all. I already have another idea in mind and I hope you all come back to read it when I post.

Leave a final review if you can (No flames, please).

Thank you all, so so much.

~EmeraldsAndDaggers


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